FIFA World Cup 2010, Group E: Cameroon vs Denmark Match Report
In their opening World Cup match against Japan, Cameroon suffered from coach Paul Le Guen’s baffling decision to play their star striker Samuel Eto’o on wide right wing. This decision saw Cameroon not only failing badly to create clear chances, but the team also could not penetrate the well-organised Japanese defensive line, as Eto’o hardly got a chance to enter the penalty area and trouble the Japanese goalkeeper.
Denmark also had the same kind of fate in their first match against the group favourites, the Netherlands. Just 30 seconds into the second half, Simon Poulsen headed a Dutch cross on back of his teammate Daniel Agger to initiate his team’s demise. Later, a brilliant move from the Netherlands was sent home by a tap in by Dirk Kuyt to complete a 2-0 loss for the Danes.
As both teams had ended up losing their opening matches, a defeat in this match would all but end either team’s chances to stay in this World Cup beyond the group stage. Both teams were evenly poised in every department of the game, and it was very hard to call any pre-match predictions.
Cameroon coach Paul Le Guen bravely accepted his wrong decision not to play the prolific striker Samuel Eto’o in his best position in the previous match, and named him in centre of the attack for this match. The decision paid off, as in only the tenth minute of the match, Eto’o scored from a cross from left flank, a move in which Christian Poulsen‘s ill-directed pass had a big role to play.
The Danes quickly took control of the match, with the best moves coming from the winger Dennis Rommedahl, who delivered a perfect low cross in the path of Nicklas Bendtner, who just had to turn the ball in the Cameroonian goal. Eto’o had a shot denied by the goal post before Rommedahl scored the winner for Denmark himself to cap an outstanding all-round performance. Both teams pressed hard to change the course of the match, but superb saves from both goalkeepers denied any further goals.
Denmark is the first team in this World Cup to end up victorious after going behind with the opponents having all 11 players in play till the end. The earlier winning comeback was made by Greece, but the turnaround was only possible when their opponents Nigeria had gone down to 10 men.
After this defeat, Cameroon has become the first team to be knocked out of this World Cup. Their last group match is against the Netherlands, who have so far a perfect record of two wins from their opening two matches. The only thing left for the Cameroonians in this tournament is to restore some of their battered pride against the Dutch side, and end their sixth World Cup campaign on a positive note.
Denmark will play Japan in their last group match, which the Danes need to win in any case to progress through the group stage. Japan has the luxury of a superior goal difference going into this match, because of which they only need to avoid defeat against Denmark to qualify for the knock out stage. This will prove to be quite a tough match for the Danes, facing an energetic Japanese team with both composure and discipline to defend their advantage.
After the second round of group matches, things have gotten quite straightforward, particularly in this group. Only a seemingly unlikely defeat at the hands of Cameroon plus a win by either Japan or Denmark in their match with a handsome goal difference will deny the Netherlands from topping the group. A 9-6-3-0 points tally can only be seen in this group this time around.
The winner of this group will face the runners-up of Group F in the Round of 16, while the second-positioned team from this group will face Group F’s winners. Group F consists of Italy, Paraguay, Slovakia and New Zealand.
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