VS.
The 2nd match of Group E featured The Samurai Blue of Japan and The Indomitable Lions of Cameroon with both sides needing a win. It was the opening match for host city Mangaung/Bloemfontein at Free State Stadium.

The first half of the match was evenly played with neither side generating any dangerous goal scoring opportunities until the 38th minute. Cameroon's Eric Choupo Moting controlled a throw-in to the box and laid off a pass for fellow midfielder Eyong Enoh who blasted a low, grass-cutting shot that was covered by Japan keeper Eiji Kawashima.

One minute later, Japan replied when midfielder Daisuke Matsui created space on the right side and centered a pass that found teammate Keisuke Honda alone on the back post. Honda controlled and blasted the ball past Cameroon keeper Hamidou Souleymanou for the 1-0 half-time lead.
(REUTERS/Adnan Abidi)

The second half started off strong for Cameroon with the best chance coming in the 49th minute when superstar striker Samuel Eto'o broke free from 3 Japanese defenders, made his way into the box and passed to open teammate Choupo Moting, whose one-time shot aimed for the upper left corner just missed.

Cameroon continued to apply pressure to the Japanese defense late in the match. In the 85th minute, midfielder Stephane Mbia blasted a long distance shot that hit the crossbar. In injury time, 2nd half substitute midfielder Geremi sent a cross into the box that found forward Pierre Webo in the 6-yard box. Webo's shot was spectacularly saved by Kawashima to preserve the 1-0 victory for Japan.
(AP Photo/Bernat Armangue)

The result is the 1st World Cup victory for Japan outside of their home nation. Japan's next match is on Saturday, the 19th when they take on The Netherlands in a battle of 1st place teams in Durban at Moses Mabhida Stadium. Cameroon faces Denmark on Saturday, the 19th in Tshwane/Pretoria at Loftus Versfeld Stadium.

Click here to view FIFA's official match report.

Japan vs.Cameroon: Match Wrap

This World Cup will have 34 players representing a country different from where they were born. The first case was reported in 1934, when the Argentine born Luis Monti represented Italy. During the FIFA congress in Stockholm on October 192, Italy was chosen to host the 1934 world cup. The current political leader of that time, Benito Mussolini, wanted to strengthen his campaign and he decided to use the world cup to his benefit. That squad had 5 international players: Monti, Guaita, Demaria and Orsi (Argentina) and Guarisi (Brazil). In 1930 Monti had represented Argentina, obtaining a 2nd place finish in the world cup.

In 2006, history repeated itself, when Mauro Camoranesi (Argentina) joined Italy and won the World Cup.

Squads with International Players:

Argentina: Gonzalo Higuain (Born in Lens, France).

Chile: Matias Fernandez (Argentina)

Paraguay: Lucas Barrios, Jonathan Santana and Nestor Ortigoza (Argentina).

Greece: Vyntra (Czech Republic), Ninis (Albania).

France: Mandada (Congo), Patrice Evra (Senegal), Malouda (French Guyana).

United States: Jose Torres (Mexico), Benny Feilhaber (Brasil).

North Korea: Ahn Young-Hak (Japan).

Portugal: Deco,Pepe and Liedson Da Silva(Brasil), Nani and Rolando (Cape Verde).

Germany: Miroslav Klose, Lucas Podolski (Poland), Cacau (Brasil).

Switzerland: Valon Behrami, Albert Bunjaku and Xherdan Shaqiri (Kosovo), Gelson Fernandes (Cape Verde),Blaise Nkufo (Zaire).

Italy: Mauro Camoranesi (Argentina).

Japan: Marcus Tulio Tanaka (Brasil).

Serbia: Vladimir Zdravko Kusmanovic (Switzerland).

Australia: Vidosic (Croacia) and Djite (United States).

Nigeria: Odemwingie (Uzbekistan).

Cote d’Ivoire: Sol Bamba and Guy Demel (France).

There are also 12 National teams with Foreign coaches:

Switzerland: Ottmar Hitzfeld (Germany).

Greece: Otto Rehhagel (Germany).

Australia: Pim Verbeek (Netherlands).

South Africa: Juan Carlos Parreira (Brasil).

Cameroon: Paul Le Guen (France).

Cote d’Ivore: Sven Goran Eriksson (Sweden).

Nigeria: Lars Lagerback (Sweden).

Ghana: Milovan Rajevac (Serbia).

Chile: Marcelo Bielsa (Argentina).

Paraguay: Gerardo Martino (Argentina).

England: Fabio Capello (Italy).

Honduras: Reinaldo Rueda (Colombia).

2010 World Cup Facts: International Players

The excitement is building as we get closer to opening match of the 2010 World Cup. The Great Tournament is less than a month away and the anticipation of the 1st African World Cup is building, its going to be great. Let's now turn the focus to Group E beginning with African powers, Cameroon.

Official Name: Fédération Camerounaise de Football



Nickname: Les Lions Indomptables (The Indomitable Lions)

FIFA Confederation: CAF (Africa)

FIFA Code: CAM

How They Qualified: 1st place in Group A of African WC Qualifying

World Cup Appearances (Including 2010): 6

Best WC Finish: Quarterfinals, Italy 1990

World Cup Record (MP: Wins - Draws - Losses): 17: 4W - 7D - 6L

Head Coach: Paul Le Guen

Most Capped Player (# of caps): Rigobert Song (133)

All-Time Goal Scoring Leader (# of goals): Samuel Eto'o (44)

Brief Footballing History:
On the national team level, no nation has done more to raise the profile of African soccer than Cameroon. The Indomitable Lions have qualified for more World Cups than any other African nation. Cameroon was the 1st African team to advance to a WC quarterfinals and only of 1 of 2 African nations to have an Olympic gold medal.

In Africa, they are the 4-time African Cup of Nations champions and 6 ACN final match appearances. Cameroon has headlines on the pitch for the play and for their innovative kits. Cameroon have taken the field with sleeveless jerseys and one-piece kits in the past and those jersey controversies have made Cameroon's kits one of the the most recognizable on the planet.

Player To Watch:
Samuel Eto'o is the superstar of Cameroon so he will attract a lot of attention but Cameroon's problem has always been defense and the player to watch is defensive minded, he is Stéphane Mbia.

Photo by Emery Taisne © Lequipe
The 24-year old defensive player is coming off a Ligue 1 championship season with French side, Olympique Marseille. Mbia was an integral part of Marseille defense showing his versatility by playing center back. He will probably play as a defensive midfielder with Cameroon and he will be counted on to cancel out the opposition's best offensive midfielder player.

Outlook:
One of the biggest concerns for Cameroon will be who will be the creative spark from the midfield. Cameroon doesn't have a consistent creator to link the defensive midfield to the strikers. The other concern is who will be the other goal scorer to take pressure off of Samuel Eto'o. If Cameroon can get productive, consistency from the offensive half of their team, they can make another quarterfinal run.

WC Group Schedule:
June 14 vs. Japan
June 19 vs. Denmark
June 24 vs. Netherlands

Next up for Group E teams is Denmark.

Cameroon - WC Team Breakdown

The frechman Paul Le Guen announced the 30-man for the world cup. The African squad will by led by striker Samuel Eto, added to the experience and talent of Espanyol goalkeeper Kameni, Emana y Webo.

The coach has called up on veterans like Geremi and Rigobert Song, and left out Marsella midfielder Stephane Mbia y Burnley defender Andre Bikey.

Goalkeepers:
Guy Roland N'Dy Assembe (Valenciennes)
Idriss Carlos Kameni (Espanyol/Spain)
Hamidou Souleymanou (Kayserispor)
Patrick Tignyemb (Bloemfontein Celtic).

Defenders:
Patrick Abouna (Astres Douala)
Benoit Assou Ekotto (Tottenham Hotspur)
Sebastien Bassong (Tottenham Hotspur)
Gaetan Bong (Valenciennes)
Aurelien Chedjou (Lille)
Geremi (Ankaragucu)
Boukar Makadji (Al Nahdha)
Nicolas Nkoulou (Monaco)
Rigobert Song (Trabzonspor)

Midfielders:
Achille Emaná (REAL BETIS)
Enoh Eyong (Ajax Amsterdam)
Jean Makoun (Olympique Lyon)
Georges Mandjeck (Kaiserslautern)
Joel Matip (Schalke 04)
Patrick Mevoungou (Canon Yaounde)
Marcel Ndjeng (Augsburg)
Landry Nguemo (Celtic)
Alexandre Song (Arsenal).

Forwards:
Vincent Aboubakar (Coton Sport)
Eric Choupo-Mating (Nuremburg)
Paul Alo'o Efoulou (Nancy)
Samuel Eto'o (Inter Milan)
Mohamadou Idrissou (Friburgo)
Dorge Kouemaha (Club Bruges)
Achille Webo (Real Mallorca/Spain)
Jacques Zoua (Basilea)

Cameroon World Cup List

Cameroon came into Libreville with their backs to the wall, yet they were able to come out with a very important three points as they beat Gabon 2-0.

Cameroon Stay Alive In Gabon

After the resignation of Otto Pfister, the Cameroonian Football Federation hired its goalkeeping coach as the team's boss. The former Espanyol goalkeeper will be making his debut as head coach in the tightest of situations.

Otto Pfister gave his official resignation last week to that country´s sports minister Agustin Edjo in a formal letter. In that letter Pfister mentioned the poor working conditions as well as the lack of cooperation that he had from his technical staff, of which included N'Kono.

The Indomitable Lions find themselves in the bottom of Group A after losing to the Sparrow Hawks in the opening match. They will host Morocco this coming Sunday in Yaounde in a must-win match. A loss would leave them virtually out of the World Cup for a second consecutive time.

Arguably the greatest African goalkeeper of all time. Thomas N'Kono´s career spanned 24 years. His most famous years were spent playing for Los Pericos for eight seasons and played for two lower division sides in Spain. He would also play in Brunei as well as Bolivian side Bolívar prior to his retirement in 2001.

N'Kono Replaces Pfister At Cameroon