Maher Mezahi
@MezahiMaher
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Journalist mostly covering sport in (North) Africa. Naming starters over at @africanfiveside
Algiers
Joined August 2011
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This is the list of countries that didn't even register their teams for the Paris 2024 women's football qualifiers
Some, like Algeria, simply forgot to. Others like Cote d'Ivoire (who just spend $1 billion on Afcon) claimed they didn't have the finances
Today is the final day of third round qualifiers for the women's football tournament Paris 2024 Summer
We look over the matchups, make predictions, but also spend a good amount of time discussing the lack of seriousness federations show women's football
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Islam Slimani asks for a Palestinian flag to display after he scores Algeria’s third goal versus Somalia
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Mali coach Mohamed Magassouba's press conference has just been interrupted
CAF officials barged in and are saying that the match will be re-started to play out the final three minutes
The coach is beside himself
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Lamine Camara was literally unable to walk off the pitch by himself because of his tears
Cheikhou Kouyaté ended up carrying him off
Tough scenes to watch, but it’s heartening to see how much it means to him - future star
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Morocco's secret to success in Qatar?
Player family members have been invited to Qatar and stay in the team hotel
As a result, Morocco’s base at the Wyndham in Doha occasionally feels like an adorable parent-run summer camp
My piece for
@AJEnglish
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🧵 A thread on Pele in Africa where he was always revered for what he represented: One of the first young, black superstars of the television era
His persona often transcended athletic achievement and settled into disputed yet oft-repeated lore
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This is how Algerian supporters watched the match at Stade 5 Juillet today.
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Aliou Cissé has collapsed, on the ground weeping
This means so much to him
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Tanzanian ball boys have been sent off by the match official after spoiling 2-3 Niger counterattacks by throwing spare balls onto the pitch repeatedly
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Abdul Fatawu Issahaku is going to be a serious problem. He's by far the best U18 talent in Africa. Hope he starts at the AFCON.
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This video is doing the rounds on WhatsApp
President of Senegal Mackey Small reacting to Mané's penalty miss in the first half
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A little late to the party, but finally on my way to 🇨🇲 for the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations
Can't wait to see all of the players, fans and fellow journalists out there, inshallah
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Far-right French presidential candidate, Eric Zemmour, showed up unannounced to play a five-a-side match at Zinedine Zidane's futsal centre in Aix-en-Provence
Zidane's brother, who is a black belt in judo, was very upset and ensured they left quickly
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Zamalek supporters creatively sitting in sync to make out an upset emoji face in the stands
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This is what it means for Mauritanian journalists
They’re on to the round of 16 and Algeria are going home
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Abdou Diallo, Sadio Mane and a bunch of teammates have broken into the press conference and showered Cissé with water
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Today, I visited Al Ahly SC, Africa's Club of the Century.
I knew Al Ahly were by far the biggest club in Africa, but visiting turned knowing into understanding.
No other club I've seen on our continent comes close.
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Mahrez now has 8 assists after this elastico nutmeg assist.
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I love this photo of Morocco coach, Walid Regragui, and France striker, Olivier Giroud, training with Grenoble back in 2007 - 15 years ago and they've both come so far since then
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I've never been to Ghana, but just by watching matches that are being played at the Baba Yara stadium on television, you can tell that there's a real football culture in Kumasi
Felt the same way in Garoua last year during Afcon in Cameroon
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Biggest party in the world is happening in Algiers right now
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Britt Assombalonga has just scored his first ever international goal and DRC's fourth goal in this thrashing against Zimbabwe
His father, Fedor, a former Congolese international, broke down and started crying for a minute after the goal
Touching moment at the
#AFCON2019
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Marseille ultras unfurl a tifo ahead of kickoff - all set for a potential classic
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When people asked me why I moved to Algeria I tell them it's for football journalism, but it's really for fresh fried sardines.
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Algerians and Tunisians celebrating together long into the night after a rough Arab Cup final
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The man who inspired Cristiano Ronaldo's free-kick technique
Dada Don. For the antics before the freekick. The celebration nu
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The way Tanzanian football has developed over the last decade is nothing short of remarkable. Marketable league, a few big clubs and some of the best atmospheres in Africa.
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Almost exactly three years since Djamel Belmadi was hired by Algeria. In that time, he has:
- Coached 34 matches, won 25, drew 8, and lost 1, averaging 2.44 points per game
- Won the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations
- Been named on a shortlist for FIFA The Best men's coach of the year
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We're a few minutes from Morocco qualifying for the semi-finals - I'm in disbelief typing that, but they so deserve it
Worthy representatives of the African continent at this World Cup, they're representing for so many
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Sofyan Amrabat revealed that he had injections to play through last match. Abdelhamid Sabiri says he can't play > 20 minutes without pain. Romain Saiss limped through 50 minutes with a thigh injury. Mazraoui and Hakimi played with niggles
🇲🇦 sacrificed bodies to make it this far
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Wondering what Aïssa Laïdouni is doing playing his football in Hungary with Ferencvaros?
L'Equipe reported that while playing at Angers, his coach Stephane Moulin discarded him from the squad after he refused to break his fast during Ramadan (h/t
@Romain_Molina
)
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I've been thinking about this for 25 minutes and I'm pretty sure this is the best atmosphere I've ever experienced at a football match
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Bendebka and Cheti have earned their plane tickets to Cameroon in my opinion
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Mali coach Mohamed Magassouba is back for his second press conference of the night
He's been sweating like crazy and looks stressed
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It feels like Youcef Belaïli is the most underrated player in world football
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Normalize African stadiums not having running tracks, please
This is the Nelson Mandela stadium in Algiers and it feels really intimate - you can see all areas of the pitch perfectly
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We often speak of Riyad Mahrez's dribbling, technique and vision.
It's about time he's recognised as a big game player. The amount of important goals he's scored for club and country over the past five years is impressive.
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🇳🇬🇨🇩🇨🇬
In Nigeria and in both Congos, Pele was credited with a 48-hour civil war ceasefires in 1967 and 1969 - an exaggeration, but there’s no denying the countries shut down for him
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After being told their section was full, Algeria fans insisted on entering in the Algeria section and eventually stormed in, breaking the door at Cairo Stadium in the process
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Algeria's new Nelson Mandela stadium in east Algiers, which will host the final of the 2022 African Nations Championship in a few weeks' time
It took a long time to finish this stadium, but it's great seeing a football-specific stadium in Algeria and I love the name
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Ghana's Asante Kotoko might have best club iconography
Asante = Asante people, an ethnic group in Ghana
Porcupine = Asante King's emblem. Proverb: "The porcupine fights from all angles"
Slogan = "Kum Apem a, Apem Beba" translates as "kill a thousand, a thousand will arise"
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Football supporters are back on the steps of the Kheireddine Barberousse high school
Haven't seen them here since Hirak protests last year
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🇩🇿
Pele came to Algeria in 1965 while Pontecorvo was shooting the Battle of Algiers. He met president Ahmed Ben Bella and played in 1 of 2 programmed friendly matches - the second was cancelled as a coup d'etat deposed Ben Bella
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Aïssa Mandi is the only Algerian player that came over to apologise to the travelling Algerian fans and he was insulted and pelted with water bottles
All the others went straight down the tunnel. That’s a second consecutive group stage exit in the Afcon for Algeria
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What you have to understand is that Comoros already feel like they've been cheated
While Tunisian players got to test negative and play at the last minute, CAF changed the protocols this morning, forcing Covid positives to quarantine for five days
Many feel it's home refereeing
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Madagascar is the first nation to qualify for the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations and it will be making its first appearance!
The island nation has heavily invested in youth football and has been spurred on by record crowds, sometimes waiting nine hours to attend.
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Final television hit at last night's final, I have a newfound respect for all who work in TV
You have to be alert, flexible with what affects broadcast, strict with timing and try to smile through it all
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🇲🇦
Pele visited Morocco several times, and any football fan there can tell you what he said about Larbi Ben Barek: “If I am the king of football, Ben Barek is its God.”
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Here's a thorough preview of the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations from my perspective, for
@TheAthleticUK
I'll be providing coverage for The Athletic as the tournament progresses, so please keep an eye out for that, if interested
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All of these anecdotes prove that Africans, across the continent, loved Pele and related to him. Billions of people from around the world can tell that one story about the time they got to see/meet him. He was truly one of a kind.
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FIFA World Cup qualifying storylines:
- Salah vs. Mane, one will miss the World Cup
- Algeria return to Cameroon after horrific AFCON
- High-flying Nigeria host struggling Ghana (Jollof derby)
- DRC return to WC after 48 years? Morocco looking good
- Mali WC debutants?
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I sincerely love the Africa Cup of Nations, I don't think I'll enjoy the World Cup like I do the Afcon
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Keep an eye on Burkina Faso's Gustavo Sangaré in midfield
Plays like a young Sulley Muntari, I don't know how he's still in the lower divisions in France
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My goodness, Azzedine Ounahi has been splendid
He started this World Cup timidly, but now you can see why he's so highly rated in Morocco. He trails only Leo Messi in terms of dribbles completed in Ligue 1 with Angers
Today's he's embarrassed 3-4 Portuguese players
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FOX commentators repeating 'No one expected this' and 'Could Senegal be the surprise team?'.
No disrespect to Poland, but they're no Brazil, Spain or Germany. Not at all surprising to anyone with elementary knowledge of both sides...
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Mamelodi Sundowns won the South African league with 7 matches to play. They could set a record for wins, points, goals scored and against.
The mastermind behind their success? Africa's hottest coach, Rulani Mokwena
My interview for
@AJEnglish
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The most painful loss in football is in the World Cup (qualifiers, too)
There's no rebound, no way of making it right for another four years
It's like a mini-death for an entire generation
You mourn losses, remember the good times, and finish with "Yep, that's life though"
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It's official: Mali vs Tunisia will resume
Malians are back on the pitch
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CR Belouizdad supporters celebrate their 2019/2020 Algerian league title by lighting flares from 1er Mai to Ruisseau.
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🇪🇬
Pele also made several trips to Egypt where he met Gamal Abdel Nasser and played in a few exhibition matches
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🇸🇳🇬🇭
Pele played prestigious friendlies in Ghana (vs Hearts of Oak) and Senegal. He laughs about how a Senegalese goalkeeper once ran off after conceding a goal to "The King"
Once, in a match in Senegal, the goalkeeper cried so much after I scored that he had to be substituted! He had lost a big bet! 🥅// Em uma partida em Senegal, eu lembro que o goleiro chorou tanto depois do gol que ele teve que ser substituído. Ele perdeu uma grande aposta! 🥅
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The African Cup of Nations does not like favourites, ladies and gentlemen
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The Guardian have asked me to profile some of Africa's most talented players born in 2006 and this year's list features:
- 🇩🇿 Moslem Anatouf
- 🇧🇫 Ousmane Camara
- 🇲🇦 Abdelhamid Ait Boudlal
- 🇱🇷 Divine Teah
- 🇸🇱 Sallieu Bah
- 🇳🇬 Emmanuel Michael
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My
#AFCON2021
is over
Afcon is the best because it's fun and it generates happiness - that's what football is supposed to do
People also make the tournament, so thanks to everyone for taking part in any capacity whether it's tuning in, covering, organising,etc
Long live Africa
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This was the atmosphere before an African continental cup final match, yesterday
I sincerely think that I prefer the two-legged format, the occasion seems much more authentic and less commercial
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It's impossible to deny the influence football supporters have had in leading chanting against President Bouteflika's fifth term.
Here hundreds sing USM Alger's 'La Casa Del Mouradia', which usually can be heard in the stadium.
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Now it looks like Tunisia refused to come out and play the final three minutes
Sikazwe and Mali waited for them and blew the whistle calling off the match
Now it's officially full time
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Didouche Mourad the main avenue in Algiers'.
Stroboscopes, dancing... No clashes with police...yet
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Algerian fighter jets accompany a cargo plane repatriating 24 decapitated skulls of Algerian freedom fighters who fought French colonization in 1849.
For more than a century and a half, their skulls were kept in Parisian museums.
Algerian independence day is after tomorrow.
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FT: Algeria 3-0 Colombia
What a morale-boosting performance. Algeria now undefeated in 16 consecutive matches, that's a new record, beating a Top 10 team to accomplish the feat.
Belmadi's men flying high. The (vast majority) Algerian public was exemplary.
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🇲🇱🇬🇭🇿🇦
Elder Malian, Ghanaian, and South African supporters can tell you about the times Salif Keita (1971), George Lamptey (1977) and Kaizer Motaung (1968) outplayed an aging Pele in various gala matches
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Egypt 2-1 Morocco
What a performance from Mohamed Salah, you hope he can keep it up until the end of the tournament
Leadership, poise, performance and sportsmanship
He's still consoling Moroccan players, some of which are bawling their eyes out
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Tonight Algeria will rue this heartbreaking loss, but this result means a lot more than a World Cup elimination
This also means Belmadi will probably leave and the 2014 golden generation (Slimani, Brahimi, Feghouli, Mahrez (?) has missed another World Cup window
Cruel
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There are absolutely raucous scenes in Abidan as Côte d’Ivoire qualify for the round of 16 as the final best third place team
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Some snapshots of downtown Algiers after Algeria qualified to the final of the 2021 FIFA Arab Cup
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Eto'o has been trolled by Algerian fans since Cameroon beat Algeria in WCQ
Papa Gassama's officiating in that match was seen as contentious in 🇩🇿 so fans have been yelling "Gassama" or "Cheater" at Eto'o in public
Still an inexcusable reaction for a FECAFOOT president
👊 Agresión de Samuel Eto'o a un aficionado a la salida del partido entre Brasil y Corea
📹
@LaOpinionLA
📻
#PartidazoCOPE
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A small taste of a magical night in Blida as Algeria beat Burkina Faso to qualify for the third round of 2022 World Cup qualifying.
Stay tuned for the full project.
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Spontaneous party in downtown Algiers after regime shows first signs of weakness
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Guinea's man of the match is 20 year old Ibrahim Keita:
"We dedicate this victory to our people, who have suffered so much over the last few years, many have even died. If we can put a smile on their face for a few moments, then we're happy to do that."
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My Africa Cup of Nations in Egypt is over.
This is how we leave the country: tired, hungry but very happy.
Now we try to get back to Algiers for the parade. It should be huge.
Thanks for reading and responding to my coverage and thank you all for the messages.
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Mendy, Partey, Bissouma, Bissouma, Mahrez, Mané, Salah, Cornet, Louza were all standout performers for their squads this weekend
All off to Cameroon by tomorrow at the latest - lots of quality on show
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After seven years of living in Algiers, Marseille is now home for the time being
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The atmospheres in Algerian stadia are special.
Brisk night, playing under the lights, historic stadium, pyro, a tifo commemorating Abdelaziz Bentifour (history), and two sets of rowdy supporters.
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1) Algerian club football supporters used song to oust a president
2) The national team supported the movement
3) Considerable French-Algerian diaspora hit back at right-wing politicians
4) Politicians try to score political points with Afcon triumph.
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When I watch matches like this, I wonder about home-field advantages at World Cups and how Europe and the Americas have benefited these previous decades
Not a coincidence Africa and Asia’s best performances have come on the only occasion they hosted the World Cup
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Football is a crazy sport
After Touba's goal, I could hear the celebrations downtown, I was getting dressed to head out and film them
In 120 seconds fortunes were flipped
Instead of horns, flares and fireworks… tonight the streets of Algiers are dead silent
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A CAF official just told me that no final decision has been about the resumption of Mali vs. Tunisia
Discussions are taking place in Limbe to decide what to do
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In most countries around the world, the first day of Ramadan will be tomorrow Tuesday April 13 2021.
Here’s a thread on the Muslim experience in football during ramadan and the challenges players face in choosing to fast or not fast:
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In North Africa, it's a really important tradition to celebrate your club's birthday.
August 7, 1921 Mouloudia of Algiers was created. It is the oldest and the most popular club in the country.
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Whatever happens in the penalty kick shootout, Morocco will be happy with their World Cup appearance
Back home, every single one of these players is a hero as is coach Walid Regragui
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Now being reported in Algeria that 16 chartered airplanes are leaving Algeria tonight to transport Algerian supporters to tomorrow's semi-final against Nigeria.
Expecting 6000-7000 Algerian supporters at Cairo Stadium.
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