CAIRO: In a telephone interview with terrestrial TV show “Sabah El-Kheir ya Masr (Good Morning Egypt) Sunday, President Hosni Mubarak’s older son Alaa said that Egyptians will continue to back the national football team to take home the African Cup to claim a historic third consecutive title.
Alaa and younger brother Gamal Mubarak flew to the Angolan capital Luanda on Saturday along with some 200 fans to attend the African Cup of Nations’ final match between Egypt and Ghana.
“The national team is made up of real men who care about this country and who implement the strategy of their coach Hassan Shehata to bring happiness to this nation, Alaa Mubarak told Egyptian TV.
Referring to the controversial face-off between Egypt and Algeria for the World Cup qualifier in Sudan last November, Mubarak said that what happened then has emphasized the need to stand by our national team and to support it because it has given us a lot.
Algeria beat Egypt 1-0 in Khartoum, losing its last chance for a ticket to the next World Cup in South Africa. After the match, Algerian fans assaulted Egyptian fans on the streets as they headed towards the airport and Egyptian businesses in Algeria were attacked, leading to a diplomatic crisis between the two countries.
On Thursday, Egypt beat Algeria 4-0 in the African Cup of Nations’ semifinal in a result that Egyptians saw as restoring their pride.
Three of Algeria’s players, including the goal-keeper who head-butted the referee, were red-carded, leading the UK Guardian newspaper to write in its review of the game: Egypt didn t just beat Algeria tonight; they humiliated them, rendering them an ill-disciplined rabble who finished the game with just eight men.
“Our team gave a manly performance and showed superior technical skills as well as good manners and sportsmanship, commented Mubarak on Thursday’s victory.
