Ismaili have no worries over Algerian trip

The unfortunate incidents that marred Ahli's Champions League clash at JS Kabylie do not worry Ismaili who will also face the Algerians away from home next month.

كتب : Hatem Maher

الأربعاء، 18 أغسطس 2010 - 21:19
The unfortunate incidents that marred Ahli's Champions League clash at JS Kabylie do not worry Ismaili who will also face the Algerians away from home next month.

Ahli initially got a warm reception upon arriving in Algeria to face JS Kabylie but things did not remain as perfect as they began.

The Egyptian champions' bus was stoned before the game and striker Osama Hosni was consequently injured.

The match itself, which Kabylie won 1-0, witnessed an ugly brawl at the end between Ahli's players and the stadium's stewards after the visitors had a goal disallowed in the dying minutes for offside.

Matters went from bad to worse following the match as Ahli's bus was stoned once again amid fears that tensions between bitter rivals Egypt and Algeria, who met in two bad-tempered World Cup qualifiers last year, might reignite.

However, Ismaili, who also play in Group B of the Champions League, said they were confident those incidents would not reoccur when they visit Kabylie in September.

"There is nothing to worry about. Will not make any request to tighten security measures," Ismaili board member Atef Zayed told FilGoal.com on Wednesday.

"We are sure that the Egyptian embassy in Algeria, Kabylie and Algerian security personnel will do their best to ensure everything is stable.

"What happened for Ahli in Algeria was the work of irresponsible minority. We are expecting Kabylie to treat us the same way we treated them."

Kabylie said they were grateful to Ismaili for warmly welcoming them ahead of last month's clash between both sides.

The Algerians, who top the group with maximum nine points, beat Ismaili 1-0.