On to the Africa Cup Finals

Egypt wins again - this time against M's Senegalese Teranga Lions. That means they'll face Ivory Coast in the final in two days. I was downtown in an overcrowded "ahwa" or coffee shop with a couple of friends and a bunch of Egyptians. Some apple sheesha, and hot cinnamon milk got me in the mood for a good game.

Television watching in Egypt is a group activity, but never more so than during a big football match. For this one, riot police in their big trucks were stationed around the city - but especially close to Midan Tahrir. The cafe I was at was one block away from the big central square, which is actually shaped more like a circle.

With every mistake, good defense or shot on the goal, we exploded out of our seats - to yell at the clearly-guilty-as-sin Senegal player who fouled Barakat, or throw up our hands at a horrible pass or a shot on the goal gone wrong.

As time wound down, Egypt's 2-1 advantage looked secure. I could feel the pressure build - stamping of restless feet and the occassional victory whistle.

Then it was over. Khalas. Done. The players celebrated onscreen as we victoriously poured out of the ahwa into the streets. Behind us, the waiter, his glasses knocked askew, flipped through bills and made change as he tried to get everyone to pay their last minute bills.

A crowd gathered in the square - a swirling mass of young men and flags, shouting and chanting. The police looked concerned but not overly worried as they herded the crowd out of the traffic doing it's part to celebrate with a cacophany of honks.

At that moment, in the spin of celebration, everyone in Egypt was an Egyptian. And we were all winners.

On to the finals...