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Mohamed Zidan of Egypt celebrates after scoring the second goal against Algeria during their semi final match of the African Cup of Nations CAN2010 at the Ombaka stadium in Benguela, Angola.

Defending champions Egypt thrashed bitter rivals Algeria 4-0 to reach the Africa Cup of Nations final on Thursday and stay on course for an unprecedented seventh title.

In a stormy semi-final clash, Algeria ended the game with just eight players as Egypt avenged their painful World Cup qualifying defeat against their North African rivals last November.

Victory also extended Egypt's unbeaten run in the championship to 18 games.

On Sunday, the Pharaohs will on Ghana, who pipped Nigeria 1-0 in the other semi-final.

Egypt took the lead in the 39th minute through a penalty by Hosni Abdrabou after Emad Motaeb was brought down by Rafik Halliche inside the box.

The big Algeria defender saw red for his second booking of the night.

Mohamed Zidan extended Egypt's lead in the 65th minute when he let fly from 15 metres beyond a diving goalkeeper Faouzi Chaouchi.

Soon after Nadir Belhadj became the second Algerian player to be sent off after a vicious two-footed tackle on Ahmed Al-Muhammadi.

Substitute Mohamed Abdel Shafi put the game beyond the Desert Foxes of Algeria on 81 minutes when he found the back of the net from a very tight angle on the left.

Algeria's woes were compounded in the 86th minute when goalkeeper Chaouchi was also sent off after he launched a wild kick at a goal-bound Mohamed 'Gedo' Nagy.

Supersub Nagy made it 4-0 in stoppage when he slammed the ball past replacement goalkeeper Lamine Zemmamouche.

After a rather cautious first half, Algeria tried to come out of their defensive shell and attack Egypt.

Belhadj now began to attack from the left but it was Egypt who came close to doubling their first-half lead when Sayed Moawad got to the end of a loose ball, raced into the box only to be denied by a timely tackle by an Algerian defender.

On the hour mark, Essam El-Hadary pulled off a splendid save off Mourad Meghni, whose free kick was heading into the top corner before the veteran goalkeeper stretched full length to push it away for a corner.

Egypt's response was quick as three minutes later, several players including Ahmed Hassan, failed to connect home from inside the 18-yard box, before Zidan broke his goal scoring duck at this tournament with a superb effort from just inside the box.

In the 76th minute skipper Ahmed Hassan would have got his name on the scoresheet in his 171st international, but his shot from inside the box missed its target with the Algerian goal at his mercy.

Egypt and Algeria lined up with the same starting line-ups from their quarter-final victories over Cameroon and the Ivory Coast, respectively.

Egypt picked Ahmed Al-Muhammadi ahead of the more exprienced Hossam Ghaly in midfield, while Karim Ziani and Mourad Meghni shrugged off injury worries to feature for Algeria.

The travelling fans of both teams created a festive atmosphere at the 35,000-capacity Ombaka Stadium with their drumming, gas flares, chants, flags and colour as anti-riot policemen looked on.

Two minutes after kick-off a dipping free kick by Algeria midfielder Meghni missed the target, while moments later Al-Muhammadi's low cross from the right rolled across the face of the Algerian goal and into touch.

Egypt attacked mostly down the right, where Al-Muhammadi's pace and guile kept the attack-minded Nadir Belhadj busy.

In the 24th minute, Motaeb was denied by a diving save from goalkeeper Chaouchi after the Al Ahly striker was set up by Zidan inside the box.

Ten minutes later, Sayed Moawad fired into the Algeria area but Motaeb could not get a foot to the ball.