Egypt crush woeful Algeria, close on third title

BENGUELA, Angola, (Reuters) – Egypt crushed eight-man  Algeria 4-0 in a foul-ridden African Nations Cup semi-final yesterday to reach Sunday’s final against Ghana. 

The defending champions stayed on course for a  record-breaking third successive title and took revenge on the  Algerians who beat them in a World Cup playoff last November.  

The much-anticipated clash between the two bitter rivals  deteriorated before halftime and was over as a contest long  before the final whistle.  

Egypt were 1-0 ahead at the interval after Rafik Halliche  had given away a penalty converted by Hosni Abd Rabou in the  39th minute.  

The tackle brought out a second yellow card inside eight  minutes for the Algeria defender, leaving his side a man down  with some 50 minutes left to play.  

Egypt overwhelmed Algeria in the second half but only made  sure of their progress once Mohamed Zidan produced a stunning  left-footed finish in the 65th minute.  
            
WILD LUNGE  

Six minutes later Algeria were down to nine men when a wild  two-footed lunge from Nader Belhadj landed him a straight red  card and a possible two-match ban, possibly ruling him out of  the opening game of the World Cup. Egypt toyed with their opponents after that, slowing the  game down to  pedestrian pace and picking it up again to allow  substitutes Mohamed Abdelshafi and Mohamed Nagui to add late  goals.  

Abdelshafi scored from a tight angle after a strong run down  the left in the 80th minute and Nagui finished from close range  in stoppage time, his fourth goal of the tournament making him  its leading scorer.  

Goalkeeper Faouzi Chaouchi had also been sent off for a  second yellow card, after a wild kick at an advancing Egyptian  player with four minutes left.