Jan 29 1800 GMT Egypt - Algeria 1:2 (final score)
Before the match:
- Algeria neither qualify for the quarter finals nor become eliminated today
- Egypt cannot be eliminated from the competion today, but can make quarter final qualification already perfect should they win
1st half:
-Egypt in all white, Algeria in all green
-('1) Ahmed Hassan is all free but heads wide
-Algerian fans dominate the crowd noise
-Algerians effectively cut down spaces, attack agressively, and dominate ball possession in the first minutes
-('9) early yellow card against Algerian defender who brings down his opponent while tackling for the ball
-the referee seems anxious to prevent from any ugly emotions resulting from allowed rough play
-('13) Algeria: corner by Belmadi, #13 Brahim Zafour rises up into the air and heads the ball into the net - 0:1
-('15) Mido sees the yellow card apparently for a diving attempt
-('17)('20) the Algerain keeper twice grabs Egyptian long balls and cooly stops Egyptian attacking attempts
-('21) Ahmed Hassan steals himself away from his opponents, puts
himself in perfect position at a Tarek Said cross and fires on goal
from 10 meters. But his shot flies wide by centimers.
-('25) Egypt: brillant through ball by #13 Tarek El Sayed on #10 Ahmed Bilal who perfectly finsishes into the far corner - 1:1
-('26) Algeria try to answer immediately but their half hearted claim for a penalty has no chance
-('29) Egypt: Mido rises for a header, it rather bounces against the
shoulder of his defender. It is deflected in such a weird manor that it
rolls past the keeper and bounces slowly towards the goalline. The
keeper rushes back for it but loses the race. He is lucky and unlucky
in the same moment as first the ball than him clash against the
goalpost. No goal but a minutelong treatment against headaches are the
consequence
-Egypt now have more of the game with fast attacks
-('34) good save by the Algerian keeper who by his foot denies a low shot
-('39) Algerian defender Zafour plays the ball, but the referee says
his tackle against Egyptian striker Mido was too rough. Bilal, from
half left, tries to surprise the keeper by a sudden execution towards
the near post. But the ball only hits the outside of the net
-Egypt dominate the match now completely. Maybe to some
extent thanks to their extensive physical preperation that their coach
Saleh has spoken about
-('43) Egypt: Ahmed Hassan dances out his defender, wants to score gets
hold, tries to shoot any way. It is a mistake as the referee punishes
him with ignorance for having not dived in time at the clear foul.
-('44) Egypt: huge
opportunity Ahmed Hassan and Bilal have free way to the goal but are in
each others way. In the end Ahmed Hassan shoots wide what should have
been a goal.
halftime 1:1
Algerians with a strong, Egypt with a nervous beginning. After 20
minutes the match turned: Algerians had to reduce the pace and Egypt
got into rhythm, dominating the match entirely. egypt, like in their
first match, created chances with smart passing game, but wasted too
many of them.
2nd half:
-after 10 minutes in which the teams neutralised each other
-('55) a half chance for Belal, his shot is saved by the keeper
-('59) Algeria: Mamouni works with his hands against Ahmed Hassan and sees his second yellow card. Algeria are down to ten.
-If it was only for the holding it was a harsh decision, maybe it was for a number of fouls?
-('63) Aribi does not see anything for a much worse late challenge on Tarek Said
-('64) the referee starts to lose his good grip on the game as he gives
Belal a yellow card for diving. It rather appeared to have been a clear
foul against him inside the Algerian penalty area.
-If the match ends in a draw, Algeria can qualify through beating Zimbabwe by a two goal margin
-But it will difficult as they will even more draw back with only 10 men after bringing on a defender for an attacker
-('72) Egypt: Barakat in for Ahmed Hassan
-('73) Egypt: Mido header too harmless
-Egypt are under pressure: If they do not win this one, they might have to beat Cameroon to advance
-('76) Egypt: Belal header too harmless
-Algerians
do not get the ball into the Egyptian half anymore, but they are very
effective in shutting down spaces, closing the wings, obstructing
passing lanes, and intercept dribblings
-Egypt are too hectical, this makes crosses and passes inaccurate. It
has been seen in the past that Egypt do not stay calm in pressure
situations
-('81) finally a good oportunity for Mido: His perfect header goes wide left by a half meter
-('83) Egypt: Hazem Emam in for Tarek Said
-('84) Egypt have two good opportunities, one denied by what looked a
bit like dangerous play (inside the penalty area), one by an
intercepted through ball
-('86) it is unbelievable: the first time an Algerian
steps into the egyptian penalty area in the second half: #22 had broken
through between two defenders and now scores by a low shot from 10
meters - 1:2
-the stadium is in a frenzy
-(''90) 5 minutes injury time
-Egypt continue their desperate football with wild crosses and hysterical passing
-('90 4) Egypt: finally a good attack, but Belal's shot is saved by the keeper
final score 1:2
A shock defeat for Egypt. Algeria take everything the favorites offer them.
Egypt - Algeria is a game like Brazil - Argentina or Netherlands -
Germany. It does not matter how much better Egypt, Brazil, Netherlands
are, they always have to fear those special opponents and the results
coming out of those encounters.
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