Cameroon goal drought down to details and precision, says Seedorf

Cameroon goal drought down to details and precision, says Seedorf
Soccer Football - Africa Cup of Nations 2019 - Group F - Benin v Cameroon - Ismailia Stadium, Ismailia, Egypt - July 2, 2019 Cameroon coach Clarence Seedorf REUTERS/Amr Abdallah Dalsh Copyright AMR ABDALLAH DALSH(Reuters)
Copyright AMR ABDALLAH DALSH(Reuters)
By Reuters
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By Brian Homewood

ISMAILIA, Egypt (Reuters) - Cameroon coach Clarence Seedorf is confident his team will find their scoring touch after the defending champions were held to 0-0 draws in their last two matches at the Africa Cup of Nations.

The Dutchman, whose side must face Nigeria in the round of 16 after finishing second in Group F, said that it was just a question of details and precision, adding that in football there were simply times when the goals dried up.

"Scoring goals in football ... there are sometimes teams that don't score for weeks, strikers who don't score for months, we are very confident that our strikers will score goals, our players will score goals," he told reporters after the 0-0 draw with Benin.

That result in Tuesday night's match followed a 0-0 draw with Ghana and a 2-0 win against Guinea Bissau in their opening game.

"We scored two in the first match, we had a lot of chances in the second match as well, that comes and goes," he said.

"We have to improve a few details, especially in the last part of the field, to be a bit smarter, create more chances."

Seedorf, in his first coaching role with a national team, pointed out that the Indomitable Lions had yet to concede a goal in the tournament.

"We have not received one goal, and against Benin not even a shot on goal, so we have many positive things," he said.

"I think it's important to maintain the zero because it means that also our opponents have difficulties to create chances.

"It's about some details, some precision ... We need to accept sometimes that the opponents did a god job in defending.

"We pushed the whole match ... we brought on offensive players. You can try but you cannot do crazy stuff, because also we need to respect Benin."

(Editing by Nick Mulvenney)

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