Cameroon´s Eto´o wants to halt Egypt humiliation

Cameroon skipper Samuel Eto’o has said he wants his team to beat Egypt in Monday’s Africa Cup of Nations quarterfinal here and bring to an end a poor run against the defending champions.

In the past five years, the Indomitable Lions of Cameroon have only managed a draw at home with Egypt, who have won the three other clashes between the two teams.

“We will fight and do our best because they have humiliated us for some time now, but I’m not God to say we will win,” said Eto’o at a press conference here on Sunday.

“I have always tried to give the best of myself in every game and that’s what I will do against Egypt.

“We have a squad of capable players, who are all here to defend the national colours. No player is here on a holiday and we will continue to work hard and stay focused.”

Egypt were forced to a draw by Cameroon in a decisive 2006 World Cup qualifier in 2005, paving the way for the Ivory Coast to qualify for their first-ever World Cup, while at the 2008 Nations Cup in Ghana, the Pharaohs beat Cameroon 4-2 in a group game before they again defeated them 1-0 in the tournament final.

“Cameroon did not not go to the 2006 World Cup in Germany because of Egypt, but because of Cameroon: we did not score the last-minute penalty to take us there,” argued the Inter Milan striker, who added that he has fulfilled his promise to qualify the team to the last eight of the competition.

“And we would have won the final of the last Nations Cup after they beat us 4-2 in our first match of the tournament.

“Egypt are an experienced team, but on Monday it will be 11 players against 11 players and so we have to run faster than the Egyptians to win. No Egyptian player has four legs.”

Cameroon coach Paul Le Guen said he has been worried that his team have let in early goals in their group match in Lubango.

“My concern is that at the start of our group matches, we conceded three early goals and it was difficult to come back after these goals,” acknowledged the former Lyon coach.

“But I am satisfied with the team spirit. This is the most important thing and it is getting better and better.”

The four-time champions had to come back against Zambia to win with a late goal, while they forced Tunisia to a 2-2 draw in an all-important final group game after going down within a minute.