Lemmouchia hints at FIFA favoritism

الإثنين، 16 نوفمبر 2009 - 18:30

كتب : Sherif Tarek

Algeria midfielder Khaled Lemmouchia voiced his dissatisfaction over the reaction of world governing body FIFA to the bus incident, following his side's 2-0 loss to Egypt at Cairo Stadium.

It was reported that the Desert Foxes' bus at Cairo Airport was viciously attacked by Egyptian hooligans on Thursday, and several Algerian players were injured as a result.

On day later, FIFA called on the Egyptian FA and local authorities to take all the necessary security measures to ensure the safety of the Algerian contingent in Egypt.

After the Pharaohs won the crucial World Cup qualifier on Saturday and set up a playoff match, Lemmouchia implied that FIFA favors Egypt in the two-horse race for the single berth in the quadrennial competition.

"If FIFA prefers the Egyptians to us and want them to claim a place in the World Cup, such a fact should be clearly said," he told L'Equipe.

"If the Egyptians had been attacked in this way, they would have immediately turned around and returned home.

"They would have asked for a victory without playing the game and would have obtained it.

"Nobody will remember the events of Cairo after two or three months if we are eliminated, is that sport?"

Both teams, who have become equal in points, goals scored, goal difference and head-to-head record in the qualifying stage Group C, will meet in a World Cup decider in Sudan on Wednesday.

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