Egypt skipper Ahmed Hassan insisted he would take part in Egypt's crucial clash against Cameroon in the Nations Cup quarter finals on Monday despite suffering from a groin strain. "I preferred to sit out training today to have some rest and be ready for the last training session before the game," Hassan told FilGoal.com on Saturday. The Ahli midfielder, who put in some impressive displays in the first round as the Pharaohs finished on top of Group C with maximum nine points, limped off the team's training on Friday. However, he is determined to feature against Cameroon, who failed to win the 2008 Nations Cup after losing 1-0 to Egypt in the final. "I will be fit to play against Cameroon," Hassan, who will become Egypt's most capped player if he makes his 170th appearance against the Indomitable Lions, added. The 34-year-old refused to underestimate Cameroon, whom he believes can pose a great threat to Egypt's bid to win an unprecedented third successive Nations Cup title. "Our task is not easy, even with the fact that Cameroon collected only four points in the first round," he said. "We should respect Cameroon, who have a great history and great players." Hassan is one of Egypt's best performers in the tournament, having scored in the 3-1 victory over Nigeria as well as dishing out three assists for his teammates in the group-stage games. The versatile midfielder, who is given a more advanced role, has admirably filled the void left by the injury of star playmaker Mohamed Abou-Treika.
