ACTUALITE |
24.01.2002
Cameroon eye last eight spot as Tunisia face Egypt in Nations Cup
BAMAKO,
Cameroon star Patrick Mboma will attempt to lead the Indomitable Lions into the quarter-finals of the African Nations Cup on Friday while Tunisia face rivals Egypt in a grudge match.
Mboma, scorer of a spectacular long-range goal in the defending champions` 1-0 Group C win over the DR Congo in Sikasso on Sunday, is riding high after receiving news of the birth of his fourth child this week.
The 31-year-old, who has been compared to the legendary Roger Milla after arriving late on the international scene, has been struggling with a stomach bug since Monday but is expected to play against Ivory Coast.
Parma player Mboma is determined to make a lasting impression in the tournament but is wary that every other team regards Cameroon as the side to beat.
"All the other teams want to do well when they play against us," said Mboma, the reigning African Footballer of the Year. "We`ve already had a warning from Congo that we have to be very strong," he added.
Nevertheless Mboma believes Cameroon`s talented squad, which contains the likes of Arsenal`s Lauren Mayer and Real Mallorca`s Samuel Eto`o amongst others, has what it takes to defend their crown.
No team since Ghana 37 years ago have successfully defended the Nations Cup. "I dream of another title and I feel that the team is aware that we have a good chance of winning again," Mboma said.
While Cameroon are favourites to win Group C, Ivory Coast know that a victory on Friday would propel them into pole position following their 0-0 draw with Togo on Monday.
The Ivorian challenge will be spearheaded by Marseille`s Ibrahima Bakayoko, who was kept at bay on Monday thanks to a marvelous goalkeeping display from Togo`s Agassa Kossi.
In Friday`s other first round matches, Egypt attempt to recover from their 1-0 defeat to Senegal in Group D`s opening round of games when they face Tunisia while Liberia play Algeria in Group A.
The Egyptians know that a defeat against Henri Michel`s World Cup qualifiers will almost certainly spell the end of their campaign in Mali, not to mention the career of coach Mahmoud al-Gohary.
Former army colonel al-Gohary, who is expected to be replaced at the end of the tournament, has spent the week reviving the spirit of his deflated troops after the loss to Senegal in the `Group of Death`.
"We must forget what happened against Senegal," al-Gohary said. "We can still go through if we win six points from our last two games," he added.
"I have had to lift the players` morale so that when we play Tunisia we are not worrying about what happened on Sunday."
Al-Gohary`s Tunisian counterpart Michel, who led France to the 1986 World Cup semi-finals in Mexico, meanwhile has been lamenting his team`s lack of a cutting edge.
Tunisia were held 0-0 by Zambia on Monday, a match where the absence of first choice strikers was all too obvious. "We need to be more positive in front of goal," Michel said. "I felt that we were not direct enough when we got into Zambia`s territory," he added.
Tunisia arrived in Mali with their attacking options decimated. Adel Sellimi, Imed Ben Younes, Ziad Jaziri and Ali Zitouni were all ruled out through a combination of suspension, injury and unavailability.
Meanwhile Liberia, who drew 1-1 with Mali in Group A on Saturday, have said they will definitely take to the field against Algeria despite the re-emergence of a pay dispute.
"The boys are not completely happy but we have decided to play," said Liberia`s goalkeeper Louis Crayton.
"We don`t want to stop playing in the tournament. We have tried to put the money thing behind us and concentrate on the next game.
"We will be playing against Algeria," said Crayton, his team`s hero with a string of important saves during the 1-1 draw with hosts Mali on Saturday.
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