First to go out

Lackluster Cameroon eliminates Saudi Arabia 1-0

Cameroon's Patrick Mboma is muscled out by the Saudi defense. AP

SAITAMA, Japan (Reuters) -- Saudi Arabia, humbled in its opening game, became the first team to be eliminated from the World Cup when it lost 1-0 to Cameroon on Thursday.

The Saudis, beaten 8-0 by Germany on Saturday, put up much stiffer resistance against the African champion but was undone by a 65th minute Samuel Eto'o strike.

Germany is top of group E with four points, the same tally as Cameroon but with a much better goal difference. Ireland, which has drawn 1-1 against both of them, is third on two points with the Saudis out of contention on zero.

The victory kept Winfried Schaefer's Cameroon side in with a good chance of reaching the second round, although it has a tough last game against the Germans.

Saudi coach Nasser Al-Johar said: "In the first match we were all shocked but today we showed more the real picture of the Saudi team.

"The Cameroon team are one of the favorites of the cup and have a great chance of going through to the next round.

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"We promise to do our best in our final match (against Ireland) and say goodbye to the World Cup with a good picture."

The German-born Schaefer said: "We have to beat Germany. I didn't really want it this way but it is now this way.

"Germany will be the favorites, of course, they have more experience, more great games (behind them).

"But I'm a Lion, I am coach of the Cameroon team and I really want to get to the second round... even against Germany."

Cameroon striker Patrick Mboma and midfielder Lauren both had headed efforts ruled out for offside but after a nervous start Saudi Arabia held their own in a tepid first half.

Nasser Al-Johar's side improved after almost conceding a first-minute penalty, with the lively Nawaf Al-Temyat going close several times.

Early chance

Striker Obeid Al-Dossary, later carried off with a worrying-looking knee injury, headed over its best early chance after nine minutes.

The Africans started the second half clearly invigorated by German coach Winnie Schaefer's halftime talk, and substitute Salomon Olembe, Lauren and Raymond Kalla all threatened to break the deadlock.

Stat Summary Cameroon     Saudi Arabia  1  Goals  0  14  Shots  14  7  Shots on goal  4  19  Fouls  13  8  Corner kicks  1  0  Penalty kicks  0  6  Offsides  3  0  Own goals  0  1  Yellow cards  1  0  Red cards  0  60%  Ball possession  40%  34  Actual playing time  23     Attendance: 52,328

Al-Temyat hit back for the Saudis with a scintillating run and shot that was well saved by Boukar Alioum.

But Cameroon deservedly grabbed its winner soon after when Eto'o raced on to a through ball and beat Mohammed Al-Deayea, the Saudi captain in the absence of injured striker Sami Al-Jaber, with a low finish.

The striker celebrated his crucial winner by stripping off his shirt and running to embrace his blond-haired coach on the touchline.

Al-Temyat almost scored an outrageous equalizer with a 40-meter volley with 10 minutes left but it was not to be.

The match was a fascinating clash of styles between the Cameroonians who all play in overseas leagues and the Saudis who all turn out for teams in their homeland.

Mboma said: "They surprised us. They played in a different way to how they did against Germany. They are not a bad team. We didn't think they were and they confirmed it tonight."

Score Summary:

Cameroon 1 Saudi Arabia 0- result, World Cup, group E

Scorer: Samuel Eto'o 65

Yellow cards: Cameroon - Pierre Wome 10, Saudi Arabia - Al-Hassan Al-Yami 59

Halftime: 0-0

Teams: Cameroon (5-3-2): 1-Boukar Alioum; 2-Bill Tchato, 3-Pierre Wome (6-Pierre Njanka 84), 4-Rigobert Song, 5-Raymond Kalla, 8-Geremi; 12-Lauren, 17-Marc-Vivien Foe, 23-Daniel Ngom Kome (20-Salomen Olembe 46); 9-Samuel Eto'o, 10-Patrick Mboma (11-Pius Ndiefi 74)

Saudi Arabia (5-3-2): 1-Mohammed Al-Deayea; 2-Mohammed Al Jahani, 3-Redha Tukar, 4-Abdullah Sulaiman (15-Abdullah Jumaan 72), 6-Fouzi Al-Shehri, 13-Hussein Sulimani; 7-Ibrahim Al-Shahrani, 14-Abdulaziz Al-Khathran, 17-Abdallah Al-Waked; 18-Nawaf Al-Temyat, 11-Obeid Al-Dossary (20-Al-Hassan Al-Yami 35)

Match referee: Terje Hauge (Norway)

Linesmen: Roland Van Nylen (Belgium), Maciej Wierzbowski (Poland)

 

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