Egypt/Cameroon battle for Group C title

We now have a third place winner already figured out. Now we just need to find out which Group C team will win the African Cup of Nations. How they got here, why I missed Thursday, and hope more inside.


Our finalists:

Egypt





Nickname: The Pharaohs
Name to Watch: Mohamed Zidan

They took out one of our favorite teams - the Elephants of Ivory Coast (or Cote d'Ivorie depending on your level of imperialism) in the semis, beat plucky Angola in the quarter finals, and won Group C beating Cameroon in their opening match 4-2, blanking Sudan 3-0 and playing a meaningless 1-1 tie with Zambia. Zidan had two very sweet goals in the tournament so far, as well as a great goal routine. His play is surprising since he plays sort of average for his home team of Hamburg, in the Bundesliga. Egypt is trying to show Africa their 2006 title was no fluke. Also, you can now switch religions without being condemned to death in Egypt. This may be of use down the road.

Scheduled Lineup: 1-Essam Al Hadari; 5-Shady Mohamed, 6-Hani Said, 20-Wael Gomaa, 14-Sayed Moawad; 8-Hosni Abd Rabou, 17-Ahmed Hassan, 7-Ahmed Fathi, 22-Mohamed Aboutrika; 10-Emad Moteab, 19-Amr Zaki



(AP Photo/Olivier Asselin)

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Cameroon

(AP Photo/Olivier Asselin)


Nickname: Golden Lions
Player to Watch: Samuel Eto'o

They made it here by defeating home favorite Ghana 1-0 in the semis. But they needed extra time to edge Tunisia 3-2 in the Quarterfinals. They knocked around Sudan and Zambia after losing to Egypt in Group play. Keep an eye on Goalkeeper Carlos Kameni, who plays on one of the Spanish League teams. If they want to keep Egypt down, he will need to be in top form. Egypt will bring it, and often. The backs will have their hands full.


Scheduled Lineup: 1-Idriss Carlos Kameni; 8-Geremi, 2-Augustin Binya, 4-Rigobert Song, 5-Timothee Atouba; 10-Achille Emana, 15-Alexandre Song, 19-Stephane Mbia; 21-Joseph-Desire Job, 17-Mohamadou Idrissou, 9-Samuel Eto'o



Prediction: I still like Cameroon even though Egypt put the hurt to them in the first match of the cup. Egypt brings an attacking style of play, but Cameroon is no stranger to this, and can match up well with them.


Cameroon 3 - 2 Egypt