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Group E: Japan 1, Cameroon 0

Japan:

21-Eiji Kawashima; 2-Yuki Abe, 22-Yuji Nakazawa, 4-Tulio, 3-Yuichi Komano; 5-Yuto Nagatomo,

16-Yoshito Okubo, 7-Yasuhito Endo, 17-Makoto Hasebe, 8-Daisuke Matsui, 18-Keisuke Honda.

Cameroon:

16-Hamidou Souleymanou; 19-Stephane Mbia, 5-Sebastien Bassong, 3-Nicolas Nkoulou, 2-Benoit Assou-Ekotto,

11-Jean Makoun, 18-Enoh Eyong, 15-Achille Webo, 21-Joel Matip, 9-Samuel Eto’o, 13-Eric Choupo-Moting.

Referee: Olegario Benquerenca (Portugal)

Both sides had a lot to prove in this match. Japan had never won a WC match away from home soil, and had been defeated four times in a row coming into the tournament. Cameroon were attempting to preserve their record of never having lost in their first match of a WC. Japan’s star man is undoubtedly CSKA Moscow’s Keisuke Honda. Rather bafflingly, Cameroon coach Paul le Guen chose to leave the talented Arsenal midfielder on the bench, although as expected, Inter Milan hitman Samuel Eto’o lined out for the Africans, however much to the astonishment of pundits and fans alike, he was to play on the right, which is almost unheard of.

Perhaps in part due to the wet weather conditions, the match had a very scrappy start, with almost no passes successfully completed in the opening stages. The much maligned “Adidas Jubulani” ball seemed to be bothering the players to the extent where both sides in a way seemed hesitant to attempt some more adventurous passes.

Japan, surprisingly, started off the better. Honda, Daisuke Matsui and Makoto Hasebe in particular were causing headaches for the Cameroonian defence, and were managing to play the only passable attacking football on the pitch. Hasebe made a wonderful run in the 24th minute, but was tackled cleanly and concisely by Spurs man Benoit Assou-Ekotto, which allowed Eto’o to go the break on the counter attack, but his final touch lacked any true conviction.

After being the better of the two quite frankly uninspired teams for the majority of the half, Japan were rewarded with a goal from Honda, a fan favorite, in the 37th minute. The goal stemmed from an exceptional run by Matsui, which he sliced forward to the waiting and fortunately on-side Honda, who was inexplicably left unmarked by the Cameroonian defence, and scored in his own inimitable fashion. The remaining few minutes of the half were nothing to write home about, as both teams had reverted to their rather staid and safe form of the start of the match.

As the second half got underway, Cameroon seemed to have come to life. Eto’o was getting more of the ball, and Webo and Eyong had been creating some good runs. The Japanese had also raised their attacking game, however their defence began to be tested by long balls form their now-determined opponents.

Japan were brilliantly organized though, and after failing to get the goal they so desperately craved in the opening stages of the second half, Cameroon began to fade again. As the African side started to lack urgency again, their Asian opposition began to gift us the first signs of true passing football we’d seen all match. They began utilizing a most appealing style of one-touch football, which was blessed relief from the rather bland alternative we’d seen in the first half. Le Guen, now clearly exasperated at the lack of chances being created by his team, made two substitutions late in the half, taking off Jean Makoun and Eric Choupo-Moting off for Geremi and Mohammedou Idrissou.

It did make somewhat of a difference: Japan were being pushed back more often, and super sub Idrissou found himself at the centre of the action with regularity, most notably when his deftly-hit volley forced a wonder save by Japan’s Eiji Kawashima in the 92nd minute.

As the final whistle blew moments later, Japan’s players were obviously delighted at their victory, and the fact that they’ve now brushed off their dodgy WC history. They had been the more consistent side, and had played exponentially better football. Cameroon, conversely, were lacklustre and staid for much of the match, and will now face an uphill battle to qualify from their group.

Emma Hickey
DFN Sports Staff Writer