It's here again. Yes another bloody match against Algeria. I think I'm probably one of the few people who did not take it personally when Algeria beat us to go to the World Cup. Don't get me wrong I was fuming that we lost but frankly throughout the qualification they were better as a team. I still think our players are better, regardless of the fact that most of them play locally.
History aside tonight is a very important game for Egypt and Algeria alike. Obviously it's importance is primarily because it's the Africa Cup Of Nations Semi-Final. The biggest competition in the continent. Algeria need to prove that they deserve to be in the World Cup and that their qualification was due to their strength and not due to Egypt gifting them a place in South Africa. A victory tonight will prove once and for all that they are indeed better than the Pharaohs and that the excuses made up by Shehata and co after the defeat in Sudan are what they really are, crap. Algeria will be in their first final (and semi-final) in 20 years, ever since their last win and only win of the cup on home soil in 1990. It will be their third final ever, the other being in 1980. So don't believe what you hear from their players and their coach that they are not under any pressure. They are and under a lot of it. They have a chance to make history and rival their greatest generation of the 80's.
On the other side there is Egypt. A wounded giant. After failing to qualify for the World Cup and the national disappointment that came with it no one, not even their coach himself gave them a chance of retaining their African crown a record third successive time. With players like Trieka, Barakat, Mido and Zaki not in the squad it seemed hopeless. (Shehata started to act confident only after his win against Nigeria defending his team selections and claiming that picking the team had to do with how religious a player was, strangely he forgot that football is about talent and talented players win games, not prayers.) However after the cracking opener against Nigeria and coming from a goal down to destroy the Super Eagles an aura of optimism started to appear. The Egyptians looked like champions and finished their group with a 100% record dispatching both Benin and Mozambique with professionalism worthy of Champions. Then came the real test against the Lions of Cameroon. Egypt capitalized on their opponents mistakes and put them to the sword again coming from a goal down. I've been very critical of our performances but overall we got the job done. Lead by the ever vibrant Ahmed Hassan, who is truly a joy to watch, Egypt are a strong unit. Credit to Shehata for bringing his team together and to his players for showing outstanding determination. Yes Shehata is lucky but if he can pull it off against Algeria (even if he looses the final) it would be a great feat and would earn him respect from everyone, friends and foes, myself included.
Egypt should take this as just another game, a stepping stone to a record third successive title. A chance to redeem their failure to qualify to South Africa. The cherry on top is that they get to do it against the team that knocked them out, Algeria. It is good to feel some purpose in a game but it should not be about revenge and hate. It should be about winning. Increased emotions will tire players easier and make them much more susceptible to lapses in concentration. Egypt should play their own game, keep the ball on the ground and not look to rush things and for gods sake no long balls.
Good teams take their chances, good teams ride their luck and good teams come back after going behind, but only great teams rise up for glory after getting knocked down.
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