Cameroon seek revenge against Egypt

Revenge will be in the air on Monday when Cameroon battle champions Egypt for a place in the semi-final of the Africa Cup of Nations in Benguela.

In what is arguably the pick of the four quarter-final matches of Angola 2010, the Indomitable Lions will first wish to avenge for the defeat they suffered at the hands of the Pharaohs in the final of the 2008 Nations Cup in Ghana.

Mohamed Aboutrika squeezed the ball home to give Egypt their record sixth Nations Cup trophy and extend their superiority over Cameroon.

Three weeks earlier they had beaten the same team 4-2 in a group game in Kumasi.

Egypt also ensured that Cameroon lost out on the 2006 World Cup when they held them to a 1-1 draw in Yaounde to pave the way for the Ivory Coast to make their World Cup debut in Germany.

“In two years, Egypt have beaten us, including in the Nations Cup final in Ghana. It is time we beat them,” said Cameroon skipper Samuel Eto’o.

“Egypt are a great football nation, but we must be well prepared and take risks because we’re looking far beyond the quarter-finals.”

There are 10 Nations Cup titles between these two African giants – Egypt have clinched six championships and Cameroon four.

The Pharaohs have also been the team on form in Angola. They achieved a perfect record to advance from a first round group that included Nigeria, Mozambique and Benin and in the process they shattered Cameroon’s unbeaten run of 14 games in the tournament.

Cameroon, on the other hand, have looked far less impressive after they fell 1-0 to Gabon and had to come back from the brink of defeat against both Tunisia and Zambia.

Such a record may not inspire much confidence, but it has shown that despite lining up a shaky defence that has so far let in five goals and a midfield of fighters, this is a team with character.

French coach Paul Le Guen, who was behind the Indomitable Lions’ qualification for the 2010 World Cup after a rather poor start, has praised his team’s mental strength with a warning that the defending champions have to be wary of them.

“We’re going to be dangerous against Egypt,” warned Le Guen.

“The conditions were difficult for us to play good football (against Tunisia), but in the end, our strong character saw us fight back twice to come through because our ambition in Angola is to go very far.”

Young Arsenal midfielder Alexandre Song said he expects another tough duel on Monday against Egypt.

“I know that Cameroonians especially expect a lot from us, but we should learn to accept that in sports you cannot win all the time,” said the nephew of veteran central defender Rigobert Song.

“Whenever teams play against us, they come prepared and determined. I believe this was the case in Lubango, where all the teams that played against us, came prepared.”

Egypt welcome back several of their key stars who were rested against Benin, including defender Hany Said, who suffered a knock on the knee against Mozambique, while skipper Ahmed Hassan would set a new Egyptian record for the most international caps after he equalled Hossam Hassan’s 169 appearances.

Even in the absence of Mohamed Aboutrika and Mohamed barakat, they have looked a solid team, netting seven goals and conceding just one, while hoping Borussia Dortmund striker Mohamed Zidan soon breaks his scoring duck to make them an even tougher preposition for any other team.

Weather could well prove a factor in this clash because it is hot and humid in Benguela, where the Pharaohs have played all their matches thus far, while Cameroon have been based in Lubango, which has been cold and wet as a result of frequent heavy downpour.

The tension between the two teams heightened Saturday evening when Cameroonian officials away Egyptian journalists covering the tournament from their training in Benguela on the grounds that Egypt had done same to Cameroonian journalists.