The-Shot.Net Writers Club - Cameroon

Jan 29 1530 GMT Cameroon - Zimbabwe 5:3 (final score)

Before the match:
- Cameroon can neither qualify for the quarter finals nor become eliminated today.
- Zimbabwe will need at least a draw against Cameroon to avoid premature elimination
Cameroon must hope that Eto'o is not distracted by reports on Arsenal's multi million Euro move for Sevilla striker Reyes which might have put Eto'os own Arsenal move in question (if it had been really considered)

1st half:
-Cameroon play in their traditional colours, Zimbabwe in white with black stockings.
-('6) Cameroon First problems for the Zimbabwean defence with one of the long throw ins by Geremi. It's Atouba or Mboma who heads a rebound against the upper side of the crossbar
-Cameroon are superior in one to one. The seem to feel that superiority and start to become complacant imediately:
-('8) A Cameroonian player only 20 meters to his own goal finds it easy to protect the ball against a forechecking Zimbabwean player. Like a torero he wants to play with his iopponent, but loses the ball. Zimbabwean #10 Mugeyi conquers the ball, makes a perfectly timed cross for Ndlovo who beats Kameni to head it to the empty goal. - 0:1
-('13) Cameroon nervous and a free kick cross by Zimbabwe gets dangerous
-('15) Cameroon almost score when Zimbabwe have similar problems after a corner, but a defender clears on the line
-('16) Cameroon: another half chance follows
-the match confirms so far, what could be seen in the first match: Cameroon strong between the penalty areas but with problems in front of both goals
-it seems the Leions are really nervous now. Zimbabwe should try to benefit here and now. What they seem to do.
-('23) Geremi with a couple of bad crosses
-('27) Mboma passes in style to Mokoun, but he's offside
-maybe Cameroon should not have made so many changes in the lineup after the first match, they do not look like a unit as much as we are used to seem them
-('31) Eto'o makes an artistic bycicle kick to set up Makoun whose sharp direct shot from 8 meters is deflected for a corner by a spectacular safe
-('32) The corner at first gets defended but finds Djemba unmarked with 17 meters to the goal. His shot is week but halfway stands Mboma with his back to the goal. He turns quickly and fires the ball on and into the net - 1:1
-Cameroon continue to pressure, they're on a high now.
-('38) Zimbabwe: Ndlovu finds a space between defenders and fires from 20 meters very dangerously, but wide by a meter
-('39) Zimbabwe: Cameroon defenders have difficulties to stop the Southern Africans although having them outnumbered
-('40) talented Cameroon midfielder Mbami shows how to do it: A fine one-two with Mboma and a no look shot with less power than accuracy to beat the keeper into the near corner - 2:1
-Mbami plays for PSG in France
-the Zimbabwean defence continues to defend terribly at corners:
-('44) a corner flies in to find Makoun unmarked. he heads it in front of the goalmouth where Mboma is quicker than everybody else and puts it across the line by his sole - 3:1
-('45) Cameroon nearly score the next as first Eto'o is denied in a one on one with the keeper and at the rebound Cameroon have two more shots cleared on the line by a now panicking defence

halftime 3:1
Purous defences allowed both teams lots of scoring opportunities.

2nd half:
-Cameroon should try to win by a 2 goal margin: If Egypt and Algeria draw in the following match such a result will provide the Lions with an important advantage for the final match.
-('47) harsh penalty for foul against Song. He had been in trouble because Camerron had not enough players in the back against a Zimbabwean attack
-('47) Ndlovu converts the penalty. Kameni seems to have a touch on it but it is executed accurately - 3:2
-the Cameroonian defence looks miserable against the Zimbabwean attacks
-('57) the Zimbabwean defence is little better: Mboma gets fouled 20 meters to the goal, central position for a perfect freekick situation
-('58) the free kick:Geremi fires wide by centimeters
-('59) Zimbabwean defence shaky at a Camroon corner
-often those corners come sharp and close to the goal
-('65) Camerron: Atouba can make a low cross against two defenders from the left hand side. Mboma is faster than his defender and directly fires into the net from close range - 4:2
-Mbomas third goal today, the fourth at Tunisia: One can see his confidence grow goal by goal
-('67) Mbami curls a shot from 20 meters over the keeper who appears to be a little far out of his goal. The ball touches the cerossbar but falls into the goal - 5:2
-Mbami runs to the sideline to celebrate with coach Schaefer who had lobbied for him last year
-('71) Cameroon: Idrissou in for Mboma
-('73) Eto'o, who has not really found into the game apart from working for spaces for Mboma, fires a cross volley into the Tunsiain sky
-('74) Eto'o fires against the crossbar.
He is not very lucky at Tunisia 2004 yet. Maybe luck will come back in the more crucial games.
-('75) Cameroon: Mezague in for Makoun
-the Cameroonians fire up each to keep concentration
-('85) Eto'o is through but with a bad angle. Instead of passing to a better positioned player he wants to force the ball past the keeper who is able to block it for a corner.
-he seems desperate to score.
-('89) again the Cameroonian defence is sluggish and clears a cross badly. the ball falls to the feet to Zimbabwe #3 Nyandoro, who fires a fantastic shot from 25 meters into the triangle - 5:3

final score 5:3
Warning to Cameroon: this defending was terrible. Not only that the African Champions have conceded 4 goals in two matches while two years ago they had remained 570 minutes without a goal conceded, it was the easy way the Zimbabweans created chances what must make the Lions worry. And in attack the Central Africans were helped a lot by a weak and intimidated Zimbabwean defence so that this spectacular 5:3 should not be overrated.
Zimbabwe are eliminated and cannot qualify for the quarter finals anymore