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Cameroon adds to Ireland's problems NIIGATA, Japan (AP) -- Ireland is not only up against a fast, strong team when it takes on Cameroon in its opening World Cup match Saturday. It also faces the challenge of re-inventing itself in short order after the tumultuous departure of its only star, Roy Keane, who was sent home last week after an obscenity-laced tirade against Coach Mick McCarthy. "We're missing our best player in Roy, and obviously that's disappointing," said Matt Holland, who along with fellow midfielder Mark Kinsella will be asked to help fill the gaping hole. "There's pressure on myself and Mark to perform in the World Cup." In Cameroon, the reigning African champion, Ireland faces what could be its toughest opponent in Group E. Their flashy offense will surely press Ireland's stingy defense, anchored by goalkeeper Shay Given and veteran Stephen Staunton. "They're very strong and physical. Lots of diagonal balls," said Holland, who plays for Ipswich. "That will certainly make life very difficult. It's going to be a tough game." Up front, McCarthy is probably going to rely on young, speedy strikers Damien Duff and Robbie Keane to counter Cameroon's high-powered offense. Come Saturday in Niigata, the Irish will find out if they have been able to put behind them all the off-the-field distractions. For nearly a week after McCarthy dismissed Keane, it seemed he might rejoin the team in Japan, but the critical apology from Keane never came. Not exactly an ideal buildup to Ireland's first World Cup game in eight years. Duff bluntly described his experience so far as "not nice." "It's supposed to be a great experience in our lives, but the last couple weeks haven't been nice with what's gone on," the 23-year-old forward said. "Hopefully we can get on with things." Staunton tried to a put a brave face on things, saying Friday that "the team morale is the same as ever, always upbeat." Ireland won its last World Cup opener, shocking Italy 1-0 in 1994. That year, it reached the second round before losing to the Netherlands. Four years earlier, in its first World Cup, Ireland stunned the world by getting as far as the quarterfinals, where it lost to Italy. McCarthy is gunning for a win again Saturday. "You want to give yourself a good start," he said Friday after his team put in a final workout in Niigata's "Big Swan" stadium. "I definitely don't want to get beat." McCarthy said that all his players were "fit to play," meaning that two of his midfielders, Kinsella and Jason McAteer, had recovered from knee injuries. Ireland has been worried about the heat and humidity in Japan, but the weather Friday afternoon was about 23 degrees C (73 F), even if it was somewhat muggy by Irish standards. "It's sticky, but not boiling hot," the coach said. "I'll settle for this tomorrow." McCarthy said he would announce his starting lineup an hour before kickoff. Cameroon isn't taking Ireland any more lightly without Keane. In fact, his absence could strengthen the resolve and unity of the Irish team, says Cameroon defender Lucien Mettomo. For its part, Cameroon has also had a somewhat rocky buildup to the World Cup. A pay dispute and air travel delays caused the team to arrive five days late in Japan. The two teams have never played each other before. Even though Cameroon may come at Ireland with a 3-5-2 formation, McCarthy says he's sticking with the 4-4-2 that got his team through a tough qualifying run in which they knocked out the mighty Dutch team. "We qualified playing 4-4-2 against everything," McCarthy said. "We played wonderfully well. ... Why do it differently? That suits us. We're a good team when we play that way." FIFA has rejected an appeal by the Irish squad to replace Keane in the 23-man roster because Keane's departure was not injury related. "It was reiterated by FIFA that a player can only be replaced when a medical certificate displays a serious injury or illness," FIFA spokesman Andreas Herren said. "(Ireland) did not produce that certificate. "And the replacement must be completed 24 hours before the team's first round match and that time has passed for (Ireland)." Irish soccer authorities had sent world soccer's governing body a letter regarding Keane and the possibility of sending out a replacement, FIFA director of communications Keith Cooper said earlier Friday. FIFA had asked Ireland for "a detailed medical assessment" of Keane's fitness. "As it is, Roy Keane will remain on (Ireland's) starting list but he'll be marked in a new column, 'A,' which means 'absent'," Cooper said. Ireland, which faces Cameroon in its opening World Cup match Saturday, had hoped to replace Keane with Colin Healy, a midfielder who plays for Coventry City in England's Premier League. Germany and Saudi Arabia are the other teams in Group E.
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