Angry relatives and residents rampaged through an Egyptian port city Saturday in rioting that killed at least 27 people after a judge sentenced nearly two dozen soccer fans to death for involvement in deadly violence after a game last year.

The unrest was the latest in a bout of violence that has left a total of 38 people dead in two days, including 11 killed in clashes between police and protesters marking Friday's second anniversary of the uprising that overthrew longtime leader Hosni Mubarak.

President Mohammed Morsi cancelled a scheduled trip to Ethiopia Saturday and instead met for the first time with top generals as part of the newly formed National Defence Council.

The violence in Port Said erupted after a judge sentenced 21 people to death in connection with the Feb. 1 soccer melee that killed 74 fans of the Cairo-based Al-Ahly team.

Executions in Egypt are usually carried out by hanging.

All the defendants, who were not present in the courtroom Saturday for security reasons, can appeal the verdict.

Judge Sobhi Abdel-Maguid did not give his reasoning when he read out the verdicts for 21 out of the 73 defendants Saturday.

The verdict for the remaining 52 defendants is scheduled to be delivered March 9.

Some have been charged with murder and others with assisting the attackers.

photo: telegraph.co.uk