The Algeria-Egypt World Cup qualifying series that stoked violence in both African countries has been finally put to rest. FIFA ordered Egypt to pay a $88,160 fine and play its first two matches inthe 2014 World Cup qualifying 100 kilometers from Cairo  due to the incidents that erupted before and after their match at home against Algeria on Nov. 14.

Algerian coach Rabah Saadane sees it as a weak response for the attack on his team’s bus after Algeria arrived in Cairo and was headed to its hotel. “Sincerely, we haveto respect it because it’s FIFA’s decision,” Saadane said. “I’m not sure it really reflects what we went through and the damage to the bus for example.”

Saadane could behappy the Fennecs got the last laugh. They won the playoff game four days later and qualified for the World Cup. “Certainly it’s not satisfactory,” he said of the decision, “but now thatwe’re in the World Cup, it’s over, it doesn’t matter.”

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