Tuesday’s match, a trouble-free affair on the pitch, was initially a source of humour before violent clashes erupted and led to a flurry of post-game reactions, many sarcastic and bitter.

 

With a few minutes remaining before the final whistle, Egyptian Premier League champions Ahly had the chance to add a fifth goal when they were awarded a penalty.

 

Algerian playmaker Amir Sayoud, recently criticised for his lack of commitment, stepped up to the spot, aiming to improve his frosty relationship with Portuguese coach Manuel Jose.

 

But he did little to bury the hatchet when he wasted the penalty shot in a bizarre and farcical fashion.  Sayoud tried to feint as he was about to kick the ball but instead slipped, making a weak shot that was easily caught by Kima Aswan's keeper. Sayound ended up booked for illegal feinting.

 

Jose appeared furious on the touchline after Sayoud’s comical effort but later opted to pardon the 21-year-old after the talented schemer drew worldwide mockery.

 

“Is this the worst penalty ever?” British newspaper The Guardian asked after posting a video of the miss.

 

The Daily Telegraph said: “Farcical penalty by Amir Sayoud of Ahly in Egyptian cup against Kima Aswan. The Egyptian Cup is rarely the centre of attention for the footballing world, which is just as well for Sayoud.”

 

“Ahly may have been cruising, with a 4-0 lead against Kima Aswan, but there's really no excuse for such an inept (and illegal) penalty. Sayoud was duly booked to compound his embarrassment, but in a fairer world he'd be banned for life from all footballing activities,” it added.

 

Spanish paper El Pais asked whether it was “the most ridiculous penalty ever”, while The New York Times soccer blog said “O.K. We know there have been hundreds of poorly taken penalty kicks in the history of the game. But it would be hard to top this one.”

 

The New Zealand Herald followed in the footsteps of other newspapers in mocking the penalty, and highlighted the impact it has made on video-sharing website YouTube.

 

“Egyptian soccer player Amir Sayoud might want to work on his penalty taking technique after providing one of the worst spot kick attempts ever seen. The video has gone viral, attracting more than 750,000 views on YouTube,” it said.

 

The website of French television channel TF1 had advice for fellow footballers. “This is how you should not take a penalty,” it said.

 

Violent clashes

 

The humorous atmosphere, which saw Sayoud smile after wasting his penalty, was spoiled towards the end of the match when Ultras Ahlawy, a group of Ahly’s hardcore supporters, became engaged in a scuffle with police.

 

The Central Security Forces (CSF) confronted the supporters immediately following the final whistle, using batons to beat them and evacuate the Cairo stadium.

 

Violent clashes, which left scores injured, continued outside the venue and lasted until the early hours of Wednesday.

 

Police accused Ahly’s fans of provoking them by slapping security personnel on the back of their heads and tossing urine-filled plastic bottles at them.

 

Fans denied the accusations, saying they only hurled insults against former interior minister Habib El-Adly and ousted president Hosni Mubarak.

 

Ultras Ahlawy decided to stage a sit-in in front of the High Court to demand the release of 15 detained fans, who were jailed for four days pending investigations into the incident, which revived memories of constant clashes between the supporters and police forces before the January Revolution.

 

The die-hard fans also joined Friday’s protests on Tahrir Square in their thousands. Ultras Ahlawy staged demonstrations in more than 12 main cities around the country, denouncing police brutality. 

 

They were accompanied by two bitter foes, Ultras White Knights of Zamalek and Yellow Dragons of Ismaily who showed rare signs of solidarity.

Ahly’s game against Kima Aswan might prove a turning point in the often-hostile relationship between football fans in Egypt.