Berlin (AP) – Jürgen Klopp is not to be envied. When his two superstars Sadio Mané and Mohamed Salah return from the heated showdown in World Cup qualifying, there will certainly be a lot to talk about at Anfield Road.
For Salah in particular, the wounds after Egypt’s knockout in the thriller penalty against Senegal are likely to be even worse than when they lost the final of the Africa Cup of Nations to the same opponents 51 days earlier. Blinded by laser pointers and berated by the ranks, the superstar was the tragic figure. Salah shot over the goal on penalties, it was the beginning of the end.
But it wasn’t just in Senegal that emotions boiled over, events also came to a head in the other playoff games for the five World Cup starting places from Africa. In Nigeria, the fans stormed the pitch after the loss against neighboring Ghana. Tears flowed in Algeria after the late shock against Cameroon. On the other hand, things were relatively moderate in Morocco and Tunisia after qualifying for the World Cup.
Poisoned atmosphere
In contrast, the atmosphere in Senegal’s capital, Dakar, was toxic, prompting the Egyptian FA to file a complaint. Insulting posters could be seen in the stands, especially against Salah, the association said in a statement on social media on Wednesday. The team was also “terrorized” by throwing stones and bottles while warming up.
The buses of the Egyptian delegation were also attacked. The association published photos of damaged and destroyed windows on Instagram. According to this information, there were also injuries. The world association FIFA has already announced an investigation. The match report will now be evaluated by the responsible disciplinary bodies, FIFA announced on Wednesday on request.
In the penalty shoot-out, which Senegal won 3-1, Egyptian players were disrupted with laser pointers, as can be seen on TV footage. Salah was also thrown at when he left the field after the game. It was his Liverpool colleague Sadio Mané who converted the decisive penalty. According to “L’Equipe”, there were calls for fans to equip themselves with laser pointers after similar incidents against Mané and Co. in the first leg in Cairo. There, too, the opponent’s anthem had been booed.
Tragic Incident
There was also rioting in Nigeria’s capital, Abuja. A tragic incident caused consternation. FIFA doctor Joseph Kabungo died at the game. The doctor was on duty as a doping officer, said the Football Association of Zambia (FAZ). Kabungo’s cause of death is unclear. So far there is no information on whether he died in the riots or from natural causes.
Violence broke out after the Super Eagles lost to neighboring Ghana. TV images and videos on social media show angry fans storming the pitch of the Abuja stadium after Tuesday night’s 1-1 draw. The rioters threw objects, destroyed benches and tore up goal nets and advertising banners. The security forces tried to bring the situation under control with tear gas.
After the 0-0 draw in the first leg, Ghana qualified for the World Cup in Qatar (21 November to 18 December) with St. Pauli star Daniel-Kofi Kyereh on away goals. The Super Eagles, on the other hand, are absent for the first time since 2006.
The game in Algeria was not for the faint of heart. After Ahmed Touba equalized for the hosts in the 118th minute, the stadium in Blida went mad. The Algerians tried everything they could to get the result over time and were severely punished by Karl Toko Ekambi in the third minute of injury time. Algeria coach Djamel Belmadi fell to the ground and wept bitter tears.