Jimmy's Corner

What a brilliant match that was... The Pharaohs gave the Ivoirian guests a very HOT welcome in Cairo Stadium. It was the last game in the Group A qualifying round in the African Cup of Nations Egypt 2006. The Pharaohs won the game 3-1 and avenging their home and away losses against Cote d'Ivoire in the FIFA World Cup Germany 2006 qualifiers. WE (being an Egyptian :)) started the game playing impressive 20 minutes in which Moteb scored a goal from a good header in a very narrow angel. Then the Elephants controlled the mid-field after Mido (the Tottenham Hotspur striker) came out with a groin injury and substituted by the veteran 40 year old striker Hossam Hassan. However, the Elephants deservedly scored their equalized minutes before the first half is over. In the second half the Egyptians dominated the game very well and Hossam played a superb through ball to Abu Treka who made no mistake shooting it into the net giving Egypt the lead. Minutes later the Pharaohs scored their third goal through Moted who followed Hossam Hassan's ball which should have been in the net. Hassan made great effort and should have scored that goal, but he was just unlucky.

You don't know how we cheered after the game that granted Egypt the first place in Group A and qualified us to a much easier game against either Angola or Togo. I wish I had been in the stadium to cherish the victory with friends and all young men that have been there. However, I couldn't stay at home after the match and met my friends and celebrated the match in the streets. What's really funny is that cars kept peeping their horns and waving their hands cheerfully to us as we dance and celebrate. Everybody was smiling, people looked so happy... Something very rare to see. Oh, what a night that was!