KHARTOUM: The head of Algeria s football federation accused his Egyptian counterpart on Tuesday of being behind the violence that targeted the Algerian squad and fans in Cairo and led to reprisals against Egyptian workers in Algiers.
He is the origin of all the events that have occurred, including the barbaric aggression that injured … our players, shocked them and put our players under extremely unfavorable conditions, Mohamed Raouraoua said of Egypt s Samir Zaher.
Raouraoua was speaking to reporters in Khartoum, before the World Cup play-off on Wednesday. Egypt beat Algeria on Saturday but failed to oust its rivals over goal difference.
A bus carrying the Algerian team was stoned by Egyptians on Thursday as it headed from the airport to the squad s hotel.
People then took to the streets in Algiers after the game, attacking 15 offices belonging to a local subsidiary of the Egyptian mobile provider Orascom Telecom and twice ransacking the Algiers offices of Egypt Air, prompting Egypt to call in the Algerian ambassador. -AFP
