Egypt vs. Algeria, Pts. I and II

Part One: Wadi Musa

On our arrival to Wadi Musa, one of the first questions I asked at the Cleopetra Hotel was where I could watch football (soccer) that night. It was the penultimate night for most of the qualifiers for the World Cup, and I've become a much greater fan over the past three months.

Mohammad, one of the guys working at the hostel, asked "Which game?" I could see excitement in his eyes. With the wryest grin I could muster I responded, "the European qualifiers... and Egypt vs. Algeria." Mohammad was quick to answer, "We are watching it here, I am Egyptian!"

It was a big game. To qualify for the World Cup, Egypt needed to win by 3 goals. a tall order indeed. If they lost, tied, or won by one, Algeria would go instead. If they won by 2 goals, a final winner-take-all match would be played in Sudan.

Throughout the evening local Jordanians stopped by the hotel, harassing Mohammad by declaring their allegiance to Algeria. Nevertheless, by the time the game started it was clear that everybody in the room was pulling for Egypt.

When Egypt scored in the second minute, we waited in hopeful anticipation for the rout to continue. As the game wore on, the mood deadened and Mohammad's nervous mutterings increased. A 1-0 victory was not going to cut it. Then, in the 4th minute of stoppage time, Egypt drilled a header into the corner for a second goal. Mohammad jumped screaming into the air, and the next thing we knew he was on the ground yelling, next to the overturned coffee table and lots of broken glass. It was awesome.

-Break for Unrelated Mt. Sinai Photo-



Part II: Dahab

I was very excited to be in Dahab for the playoff game. Seeing the way one Egyptian had reacted to his team's victory, the prospect of being in Egypt was almost too much to take. Five hours before the game, as we sat in an internet cafe, people cycled in to get the red, white and black painted on their faces. A few men gathered around as one held his crying 3-month old baby still to receive the forehead flag. "He is hungry," he explained. My suggestion that perhaps the baby supported Algeria was quickly and loudly (but with good humor) refuted.

We showed up to the Penguin Restaurant an hour early to order dinner and secure a seat in front of the giant sheet that was to be the projector screen. At first we were told that the front seats were taken, but when the Egyptian men realized we were there to watch, not just eat, they quickly and warmly welcomed us to join them.

This was going to be great. A party in the streets that would hopefully turn borderline riotous, and a party in the restaurant that I would remember forever. Unfortunately, someone forgot to tell the Egyptian football team my travel plans, and they were unable to find an answer to Algeria's first half goal. As the clock wound down, we all waited expectantly; the miracle finish to the game four nights prior was still fresh in everybody's memory. But the whistle abruptly blew, the projector was abruptly turned off, and the fans abruptly went home.

Sometimes you have an idea of how something will be in your travels, but it never turns out the way you expect. My only solace was to see that Slovenia, our new second-favorite country, had knocked of Russia to secure a bid. I can't wait for this summer. Tour de France AND World Cup. I will probably walk from the Mt. Bakery to the Copper Hog every morning!