Egyptians over the moon
– Egypt’s capital crackled with fireworks and blared with horns as the football-crazy country reached the World Cup for the first time in 28 years as rare scenes of joy took hold of city blocks celebrating a 2-1 victory over Congo on Sunday.
Winger Mohamed Salah (above) scored twice, securing victory with a last-gasp penalty to put Egypt four points clear with one match left in their African Group E qualifying campaign.
The win clinched a long-awaited spot for Egypt in Russia for the 2018 World Cup finals, where the Arab world’s most populous country will compete on football’s ultimate stage for the first time since Italy in 1990.
“It’s been 28 years and we’re finally going to enter the World Cup. Today is a day of celebration for the entire country,” said 41-year-old Gaber Fathy.
The raucous mood spilling out on the streets marked a much-needed respite for Egyptians after years of hardship, from IMF-backed austerity reforms that have pushed inflation to record highs to a tough law on protests that has made public gatherings exceedingly rare after two presidents were toppled since a 2011 uprising.
“You can look around and see how people are happy. This is something you never witness in Egypt,” said 23-year-old Gamal Mohamed in downtown Cairo’s Tahrir Square, the iconic centre of the country’s once-active protest movement, which has since been quashed by tough security measures.
Just across the border in neighbouring Gaza, where Egypt has led a political reconciliation process, thousands of Palestinian fans poured into an open-air park to cheer on the second Arab country to qualify for the 2018 World Cup after Saudi Arabia. –
England have qualified for their sixth consecutive World Cup finals but Sunday’s 1-0 victory in Lithuania merely underlined the problems they face if they are to make an impression on the big stage in Russia next year.
They may have topped Group F undefeated, but for the fourth qualifying match in succession Gareth Southgate’s side lacked the creative spark that sides such as Germany, Spain and Belgium boast in abundance.
Their goal tally of 18 from 10 games in a group containing Lithuania and Malta – ranked 120th and 191st respectively in Fifa’s rankings – is hardly prolific.
In their final four games they managed eight goals, although three of those came after the 85th minute against the tiring part-timers of Malta.
A shaky 2-1 home victory against Slovakia followed before last Thursday’s fortunate stoppagetime 1-0 win over Slovenia in a soporific encounter at Wembley. Sunday’s drab 1-0 win in Lithuania was secured by Harry Kane’s first-half penalty.
Kane has scored five of his country’s 18 qualifying goals but while the Tottenham Hotspur striker has established himself as one of Europe’s most-feared goalscorers, he is feeding off of scraps for England for whom the words “toil, laboured and uninspired” have become watchwords in the media.
A look around the other qualifying groups emphasises the disparity between England’s potency and that of the European teams they will join in Russia next year.
Germany racked up 42 goals in 10 games, Poland managed 28 and Spain bagged 35 with one match to play. Belgium, who also have one game to play, hit the net 39 times. Portugal, who may not even win their group, have 30 from nine.
Switzerland, Denmark, Montenegro, Italy and the Netherlands have also scored more goals than Southgate’s England.
Against Slovenia, England played with two holding midfielders in Eric Dier and Jordan Henderson and spent most of the match passing around in harmless areas – a common criticism throughout the campaign which also included a last-ditch win in Slovakia and a 2-2 draw in Scotland courtesy of another late show by Kane.
Former Manchester United winger Ryan Giggs said England’s players were scared to “take risks” .
Southgate spoke of lack of quality in the final third on Sunday when even two of England’s great hopes Dele Alli and Marcus Rashford failed to shine against modest opposition.
He is hardly over-stocked with players who can bring something different to the party, however, which is why Arsenal’s Jack Wilshere has been talked up without him even being involved in the squad of late.
Former England manager Glenn Hoddle suggested Southgate will have to change England’s style to a counter-attacking one.
“They struggle to break teams down,” he told ITV Sport. “They might have to sit back and invite teams on because England so have players who can be dangerous when given some space.”
Giggs said too many players retreat into their shells when they pull on the England shirt.
“They should just go and do what they do for their clubs,” he said.
“Players like Dele Alli and Rashford are exciting but something is missing when they wear the England shirt. You score goals by taking risks.” –