JEDDAH: Expectations were high among fans in the Kingdom as the African Nations Cup semifinal showdown between rivals Egypt and Algeria kicked off in Angola at 10:30 p.m. local time with local coffee shops and sheesha places doing roaring business.
Traffic was unusually light for a Thursday evening, as people remained indoors to savor what they expect to be an African delight. Tension was thick with most of the cafes packed well before the Egypt-Algeria clash and shebabs (young men) making up the majority.
The most popular café on Thalia Street, Second Cup, was full before the first semifinal between Ghana and Nigeria match. Even the café at the Seraifi Mall was jam-packed with the fans making their statements by donning team colors and crests.
While Saudi Arabia doesn’t have any skin in this competition, the country is host to an enormous Egyptian expatriate community, especially in Jeddah. Saudis, too — as well as football fanatics of all stripes — were seen gathered around televisions screens for the match that will determine who faces off with Ghana on Sunday for the Africa Cup. Ghana earlier beat Nigeria 1-0 to made the grade.
“Saudis and Egyptians are close because of the geographical location,” said Saudi Hussam Ibraheem. “I am more with Egypt than Algeria, and I am sure that Egypt will win.”
Restaurants and cafes eagerly set up their screens — some right on the sidewalks — charging a watching fee for patrons seeking a place to sit and watch with sheesha and tea. The interest of the fans in this match was piqued following the key World Cup qualifier in November that knocked Egypt out of the running for a berth at the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa this summer. The match spurred riots in Cairo and a brief row between the two countries after reports that Algerian fans attacked Egyptians following the game in Khartoum.
Muhammad Kushk, an Egyptian expat in Jeddah, said his friends were planning to have a watch-party at home to avoid any heated exchanges from people rooting for the other side.
“I am afraid to shout something offensive that could create tensions and fights,” he said. Not everyone was rooting for Egypt and instead siding with the so-called “desert warriors” of Algeria who some fans think deserve to win the Africa Cup after cinching a spot in South Africa.
“Algeria plays good football and they are now looking like the great teams of the 80s when Algeria was a footballing force,” said Saudi Yaser Al-Dhaisi, who laid the blame on the conduct of Egyptian fans following their team’s loss to Algeria in November.
Saudi fan Ahmad Al-Ghamdi was more technical in his explanation of why he thought Algeria was in to win. “If the team that eliminated Ivory Coast - one of the main contestant tipped to win the African championship - does not deserve to win, then who does?” he said. “To describe how Algeria plays is very simple - it is a team that plays good football in silence.”
One thing that was not expected to be “in silence” by the time Arab News went to press last night was the post-game revelry on the streets of Jeddah.
— with input from Sultan Al-Tamimi
