Kick-off: Thursday, January 21, 16.00 GMT
Location: Estadio Alto da Chela, Lubango
Cameroon Eto’o (47), N’Guemo (64)
Tunisia Chermiti (1), Chedjou (o.g 63)
TEAMS
Cameroon: Kameni – Binya, Chedjou, N’Koulou, Mandjeck – Song, Eyong, Makoun – Eto’o, Idrissou, N’Guemo
Tunisia: Mathlouti – Souissi, Haggui, Jemal, Mikari – Raggued, Nafkha – Dhaouadhi, Korbi, Jema’a – Chermiti
An improved second half performance from Cameroon saw them over-turn a first-half deficit to snatch a 2-2 draw to squeeze through to the quarter finals at the 2010 African Cup of Nations. It was hardly the most convincing performance, but it just about enough to guarantee progression in second place in the group.
The match kicked off with the two bigger sides in the pool effectively playing off against each other for a place in the group stages with the winner guaranteeing progression, whilst the looser could only contemplate a return home.
Cameroon made six changes from the side that struggled past Zambia at the weekend with the most high profile casualties being veterans Rigobert Song and Geremi in the defence. Samuel Eto’o continued his wider role from the right flank, rather than his more accustomed central role.
Tunisia boss Faouzi Benzarti restricted himself to just two changes in comparison to the starting line-up that drew 0-0 against Gabon at the weekend. Mohamed Ali Nafkha took the place of Souheil Ben Radhia, whilst Youssef Msakni made way for Khaled Soussi. The latter change was to have almost an immediate effect for Tunisia. Straight from the kick-off Tunisia caught Cameroon napping when Souissi surged down the right flank. The Club Africain defender whipped in a wonderful cross, which was met by a stooping header from striker Amine Chermiti to divert the ball into the back of the Cameroon net to make it 0-1.
The opening phase of play was alas not a taste of further excitement in the game to come. Although Cameroon dominated possession, they seldom looked like creating a chance. Tunisia were content to sit back and let their more illustrious opponents have the ball and soak up pressure safe with their lead intact. The game certainly didn’t seem like it pitted the best ranked African side in the FIFA rankings in the form of Cameroon against Tunisia, a side who had qualified for three of the last four World Cups.
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After 30 minutes of lacklustre play, Tunisia were lucky to avoid going down to ten-men, when Aymen Mathlouti, Tunisian goalkeeper, clearly handled the ball outside his penalty area. Having been rashly tempted out of his area, Samuel Eto’o attempted to lift a shot over Mathlouti. However, the keeper stuck his hand out to stop the ball, and also what looked like a shot on target. The referee though issued only a yellow card and the free-kick just outside the box from which Samuel Eto’o placed an effort just wide of the far post.
Remarkably having soaked up pressure for nearly the entire half, Tunisia broke forward on 44 minutes as Hocine Ragued slipped a neat pass through the middle to left-back Yassin Mikari, who had rang across the line to pop up on the right side. However, having been forced wide as he broke clear, Mikari could hit only the side netting at the near post with his shot despite support from Armine Chermiti in the middle.
Deja-vu?
The second half started in similar fashion to the first with an early goal on 47 minutes, this time for Cameroon as they paid Tunisia back for their fast start. A pass was slipped through to Pierre Webo, having arrived on the pitch as a half-time substitute, who cut the ball back from the by-line to the lurking Samuel Eto’o. The Inter Milan forward rather scuffed his shot, but it had just enough direction to bounce in off the far post to make it 1-1.
The equalising goal seemed to spark Tunisia and an immediate response was forthcoming when Zouheir Dhaouadhi squared a ball across the face of the Cameroon goal when he could have taken the shot on himself.
Goal-scorer Samuel Eto’o could have taken the lead for the Indomitable Lions when left-back Georges Mandjeck curled a cross into the box to find the former Barcelona striker in acres of space. However, Eto’o slightly mistimed his jump and the effort came off the top of his head which looped the ball up and wide.
The second half continued in exciting fashion on 55 minutes when Dhaouadhi scrambled clear down the left side to swing a ball into the near post. With Chermiti closing in on the pass, Carlos Kameni in the Cameroon goal did brilliantly to bravely block the ball away from danger.
Tunisia fail to profit from Cameroon disaster
Cameroon continued to surge forward, and looked the more likely to create the third goal in the game. However, it was Tunisia who once again surprised. Substitute Chaouki Ben Saada lofted a ball into the penalty area hopefully where centre-back Aurelien Chedjou headed the ball up and over the advancing Carlos Kameni for a terrible own goal to make it 1-2..
Paul le Guen’s side though immediately hit back for the equalising goal after the best move of the match so far. Mohammodou Idrissou raided down the right flank, cut the ball back to Pierre Webo who teed up Celtic midfielder Landry N’Guemo to smash the ball home from the edge of the penalty area for 2-2.
On 80 minutes Samuel Eto’o and Pierre Webo nearly combined for Cameroon’s third goal of the game. Eto’o shifted the ball across to Webo, who curled a shot just wide of the far post with Mathlouti diving across, but relieved to see the ball drift just wide of the target.
Tunisia could have forced a winner which would take them through on 87 minutes when Karim Haggui got on the end of a free-kick into the box. However, the Hannover centre-back looped his header over the bar. The Tunisian task was made even harder when Haggui’s centre-back colleague Ammar Jemal saw red for his second yellow card. After picking up his first for a lunge earlier in the half, he foolishly pushed Samuel Eto’o. It was barely anything more than a slight shove, but the referee’s assistant drew the referee’s attention to the infringement and Jemal was dismissed.
Tunsia were unable to force another chance and despite turning in their best performance of the tournament, ended up exiting at the group-stage. Cameroon also produced their best performance of the 2010 African Cup of Nations, but it won’t have got quarter—final opponents Egypt too concerned. Le Guen’s side will need to improve significantly if they are to prevent the Pharaohs from romping into the semi-finals.
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