Some 10,000 Egyptian protesters angered by the death of dozens of soccer fans in Wednesday's post-match violence clashed with riot police in the capital Cairo on Thursday.

Meanwhile, two men were reported to have been killed as violence flared between protesters and police in the northeastern city of Suez. The dead were demonstrators, according to medical sources.

In the capital, security forces fired tear gas at demonstrators as they attempted to reach the Interior Ministry to protest against a lack of police intervention during the riots. Up to 20 injured protesters were taken to hospital, suffering from gas inhalation.

State television said 628 people in all were injured in the Cairo clashes, mostly because of tear gas inhalation. "The security services are continuing to maintain the highest restraint following these aggressions," a security source told the Mena news agency. Several thousand were still reported to be on the streets even after sunset.

At least 74 people were killed and around 1,000 others were injured in the northern city of Port Said on Wednesday as violence broke out between rival soccer fans. As the final whistle blew, fans of the winning home team Al-Masry invaded the pitch throwing rocks, bottles and fireworks at Cairo's Al-Ahly supporters.

State television ran footage of riot police standing motionless in rows as clashes erupted. Most of the deaths were reportedly caused by the ensuing crush as panicked fans fled the scene. Medics claim that some of the victims had also been stabbed. It was the deadliest incident in Egypt since the overthrow of former President Hosni Mubarak in February last year.

Egypt's ruling military council has been widely blamed by protesters for failing to prevent the riot. In response, Prime Minister Kamal al-Ganzuri told an emergency session of parliament on Thursday that the Egyptian football association's director and board had been fired, as had Port Said's security chief. The resignation of Port Said's governor had also been accepted.

Egyptian MPs demanded that Interior Minister Mohammed Ibrahim also take responsibility for Wednesday's violence.

ccp/rc//sb (AFP, Reuters)