World Cup Match Report: Denmark vs Cameroon
Denmark 2-1 Cameroon
Cameroon: 16- Hamidou Souleymanou; 19- Stephane Mbia, 5- Sebastien Bassong, 3- Nicolas Nkoulou, 2- Benoit Assou-Ekotto; 8- Geremi, 18- Enoh Eyong, 6- Alex Song, 10-Achille Emana; 15- Achille Webo, 9- Samuel Eto’o.
Denmark: 1- Thomas Sorensen; 15- Simon Poulsen, 4- Daniel Agger, 3- Simon Kjaer, 6- Lars Jacobsen; 19- Dennis Rommedahl, 2- Christian Poulsen, 10- Martin Jorgensen, 8- Jesper Gronkjaer; 9- Jon Dahl Tomasson, 11- Nicklas Bendtner.
Referee: Jorge Larrionda (Uruguay)
This match saw the clash of two proud footballing nations. Cameroon, with players such as Benoit Assou-Ekotto, Alex Song and Inter Milan hitman Samuel Eto’o in the squad, have made a name for themselves as one of Africa’s best sides. Meanwhile Denmark, boasting players such as Liverpool’s Daniel Agger, Arsenal striker Nicklas Bendtner and Ajax legend Dennis Rommedahl, had been very impressive in the qualifying stages.
The match got off to a blistering start. The Cameroonians, from the very first kick of the ball, were playing attacking football. Benoit Assou-Ekotto and Geremi both tore through the Danish midfield, and even in the very early stages, the Africans looked to be a serious threat. The Danes were also looking good. Dennis Rommedahl was moving wonderfully on the wing, and was managing to avoid midfield master Alex Song along the way. Rommedahl then had the first concrete chance in the 6th minute, but his long range effort whistled over the bar.
We weren’t kept waiting long for action, however, as in the 10th minute, Denmark’s Christian Poulsen made an absolute howler in defence, allowing himself to be wrong-footed by the delightfully named Achille Webo, who played the ball to one Samuel Eto’o. As expected, the Cameroon dynamo slotted it home with little fuss. After conceding a goal due to their shaky defence, the Danes were, for a spell, looking tentative and nervous, but a few more Cameroonian shots on target seemed to jolt them from their inefficiency.
By the mid stages of the first half, both sides were looking inventive, confident, and assured. After consistently knocking on the door, the Danes finally opened their account with a goal in the 33rd minute. Simon Kjaer sent a truly world-class pass to Rommedahl that proved too tempting to pass up, with Rommedahl curving it to the talented yet wildly inconsistent Nicklas Bendtner, who sent it home from just six yards out.
We now most definitely had a match on our hands. Both sides continued to push for that second goal, and as the teams went off for halftime, they were looking evenly matched.
The second half started much as the first had ended. Both teams were playing, open, forward passing, fluid, one-touch football. It was a delight to the senses after a WC that has been filled with so many dud matches. Cameroon’s Geremi came close in the 53rd minute, although the Cameroonians were obviously starting to worry that they would be hard pushed to hold on for a draw. Denmark continued to look solid on the attack, and their efforts came good again in the 62nd minute, when Bendtner shunted forward a curve ball to Rommedahl, who struck it beautifully with his left foot, straight past Cameroonian keeper Souleymanou to make it 2-1 Denmark.
The African side were now even more relentless in their attack, yet each time they got close, Daniel Agger and Simon Kjaer were resolute in the Danish defence. The Danes continued to attack, but they had problems with their passing accuracy. We had one more real chance of the match, when Eto’o took a corner in the 90th minute, although this was easily saved by Sorensen.
Overall, this was a very high quality match. Both sides played some beautiful football, and showed great defensive strength to boot. Denmark have done their chances of qualifying for the next round the world of good, while in contrast, Cameroon became the first team to officially have been eliminated in the first round of matches.
Emma Hickey
DFN Sports Staff Writer
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