In New York’s Astoria neighbourhood, Arab nations unite in World Cup joy

New York – As the sun began to set on a warm Wednesday evening in New York, the Moroccan darija chant of “Sir! Sir! Sir!” – “Go! Go! Go!” – blared out of cafes and onto the streets in Astoria, a diverse ethnic hub in the Queens borough of the city. Astoria has long been a major hub for one of the most established Arab communities in New York City. Shortly after 8pm local time (00:00 GMT), celebrations erupted as fans carrying Morocco’s flag took over the iconic Steinway Street after the North African country defeated Haiti 4-2 to enter the knockout stage of the World Cup for the second successive edition. Two days earlier, it was Egypt who secured their first-ever win in the World Cup as they overcame New Zealand 3-1, transforming the heart of Queens’ Arab-American enclave into a sea of fans draped in Egyptian flags, chanting “Masr! Masr! Masr!” – the Arabic word for Egypt. And on Monday, sandwiched between the two African wins, was an all-Arab affair as Algeria took on tournament debutants Jordan in Group J. Fans of both countries packed cafes and pavements to follow the action together. It was the Algerian fans who had a reason to celebrate, as their team sealed a dramatic 2-1 comeback win against Jordan, adding their flavour to a weekend-long celebration of Arab football across Astoria. For some locals of the community, it was an apt nod to the New York borough, which is home to a large North African diaspora. …