200 Egyptian soccer hooligans attack Algerian national team

A Saturday World Cup qualifier between Algeria and Egypt devolved into violence even before the game started. A mob of 200 stone-throwing Egyptian youths attacked the Algerian national team’s bus.

Three players were injured. Khaled Lemmouchia was bashed with a stone to the head, Rafik Halliche received injuries above his eye and Rafik Saifi’s arm was injured.

According to Walter Gagg of international football governing agency Fifa, who was there for the match, “These weren’t superficial injuries. With the stitches needed, we will have to see if these players can play. The team doctor has still to make a decision on that.”

Algeria’s goalkeeping coach received a concussion. Gagg described the bus as in a “very bad way with broken windows and traces of blood on the floor”.

It is likely the game will be canceled due to the Algerian team’s injuries. Both Algeria and Fifa are demanding tougher security in the event that the team will be able to play on Saturday.

The Egyptian and Algerian national teams have an intense rivalry that dates back to the colonial era. The last time the teams played each other in 1989, mass rioting took place. Riots also took place in Cairo during a 2006 Egypt-Libya match.

Meanwhile, as The Majils succinctly puts it, “Egyptian police, true to form, insisted that nobody had been hurt.”

The news segment above from al-Jazeera English clearly shows the players being attacked and the bus being stormed.