Marseille (AFP)

Flag of Algeria on the shoulders, massed in front of televisions outings on the Canebière in Marseille or following the match on a smartphone on the Champs-Elysees, thousands of fans of the "Fennecs" vibrated Sunday night in France with their team, in semifinal of the Africa Cup of Nations.

On the terrace of the Oriental, in Marseille, the supporters are seated or squatting on the garbage containers giving an ideal view on the giant screen installed by the cafe. A few meters away, on the Old Port, thousands of people are waiting for the fireworks on July 14th. But here, we have our eyes on the match, with the hope of a third continental final.

And the crowd explodes in the 39th minute with the opening score for the men of Djamel Belmadi. Firecrackers, smokers, songs, the hundreds of people gathered in front of the screens installed in front of all the cafés of the avenue exult. More than the players, it is Belmadi, the Algerian coach, a former Olympique de Marseille, who has the favor of the Algerians Marseille.

"Belmadi, it looks like he's watching the game, he's on the pitch, he's given them the pride, the win," says Ilyes, an Avignonnais who came to see the match with his friends in Marseille, while clamor rises from the crowd. 6th minute: Algerian goal ... finally canceled for offside.

A few meters back, a dozen Nigerians are there. Totally dominated in numbers. "We're optimistic, we're going to win, 2-1," Ighalo, his two-year-old son on the knees, said.

In Marseille, we want to believe in a new continental title for the "Fennecs", after that of 1990, the only asset of the Algerian team. Through the city center, the cafe terraces are invaded by Algerians from France. And the national flag is omnipresent, with many Amazigh flags also, that of the Berbers.

And like Thursday night, after the win in the quarterfinal against Ivory Coast, all are waiting for the final whistle and victory, to break by the thousands to the Old Port and scream their happiness, in the middle of smoke, "youyous", firecrackers and horns of kids in scooters.

- Police deployed in number -

Some 9,000 Thursday were gathered on the docks, they could be even more numerous this Sunday evening. And the authorities have planned great ways to avoid any problem with the thousands of Marseillais already gathered around the port for the fireworks.

Some 250 CRS and mobile gendarmes, supported by a hundred municipal police officers, were mobilized to avoid dangerous crowd movements. And the three main access to the Old Port, including that of Canebière, will be blocked, until those who came to attend the festivities of July 14 have given way.

Marseille, Montpellier, Champs-Elysées: the atmosphere is the same. In Montpellier, where the celebrations were bereaved Thursday by the death of a mother overthrown by a driver, Samir, 49, is Tunisian. But "I have always supported Algeria too," he says, to console himself for the elimination of his team by Senegal.

In Paris, Nesrine came with her two children aged 4 and 8. Algerians on vacation in the capital: "We walk and at the same time if we win, we will be at the best place to celebrate," says the father. One of his sons wears the jersey of Mahrez, the attacker of "Fennecs". The other one from Zidane.

Along the "most beautiful avenue in the world", supporters follow the start of the game on their smartphone, sitting on benches.

Nearby, the police are also deployed in number, to prevent possible overflows.

© 2019 AFP