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By Aisha Gawad November 18, 2009 I always think of soccer hooligans as drunk Europeans, the kind that get in fights outside of pubs because one guy accidentally steps on another other guy’s foot and the second guy is all like, “I must defend my team’s honor by pummeling this man in the face.” Thus, a brawl ensues. But Egypt and Algeria have proven that sober young men are also perfectly capable of acting like cavemen: “You root for wrong team. Me throw rock at you.” This is basically what happened on Saturday when the Algerian national soccer team arrived in Cairo for a World Cup qualifying match against Egypt. Three Algerian players were injured by rocks hurled through the windows of their bus by Egyptian Neanderthals ... I mean fans. And after the game, officials reported that 12 Egyptians and 20 Algerians were injured in various scuffles. Egypt won the game 2-0, just one goal shy of what was needed to automatically qualify for the World Cup, so the two teams will face off again in Sudan on Wednesday to decide who will make it to the Cup. After Saturday’s game, things even got ugly on the Internet. Algerian hackers pasted a Star of David onto the Egyptian flag on the Egyptian Football Association’s website, a not-so-subtle hint that Egypt has sold out to Israel. Then Egyptian bloggers threatened Algeria with “11 more martyrs” - a reference to Algeria’s bloody independence war, which gave it the nickname of “the land of a million martyrs.” Um ... whoa now. Of course, as a journalist, I am completely neutral (Egypt, if you don’t win, Ima come over there and pummel you in the face myself), but even so, I have to caution both sides: Simmer down now or you’re going to ruin it for all of us. In 1993, FIFA annulled Egypt’s win against Zimbabwe in another World Cup qualifying game because the Zimbabwean goalkeeper was hit on the head with a chunk of concrete. The rematch in France ended in a draw, ruining both teams’ chance at qualifying. And 20 years ago, in a similar match, an Algerian player blinded an Egyptian fan with a bottle. Soccer is king, especially in a countries so disillusioned that other expressions of nationalism often feel futile and false. So if soccer is what motivates you, gives you a sense of national identity, then by all means, take to the streets, root for your team, but please, leave the rocks, concrete slabs and eye-gouging bottles at home. At least one Arab team needs to make it to the World Cup, for the sake of all the Arabs around the world who are also looking for an opportunity to express their A-rab pride. And since all Arabs are pharmacists anyway, I recommend that Egyptians and Algerians both take some valium or zoloft for the next game. You better check yo’self before you wreck yo’elf, you hear? May the best team (ahem ... Egypt ... ahem) win.  Source: Christian Science Monitor Photo by Clive Mason/Getty Images http://www.elanthemag.com/index.php/site/featured_articles_detail/algeria_and_egypt_soccer_fans_face_off_ni-nid996756790/