Football: Cameroon coast to record sixth World Cup appearance

Cameroonwebnews.com | 11/17/09 | channelnewsasia.com

Cameroon's Jean II Makoun (L) fights for the ball with Morocco's Adil Harmach

JOHANNESBURG – Cameroon coasted to a 2-0 win in Morocco Saturday and clinched a record sixth appearance for an African team at the World Cup.

The ‘Indomitable Lions’ took a one-point lead over Gabon into the final round of Group A fixtures and stretched it to four by full-time as their only rivals for a place at the 2010 finals in South Africa fell 1-0 away to Togo.

Achille Webo put Cameroon ahead on 18 minutes in Fes and three-time African Footballer of the Year Samuel Eto’o added a second soon after half-time against timid opposition.

Qualification was a personal triumph for French coach Paul Le Guen, who took over just three months ago from German Otto Pfister with Cameroon bottom of the table having secured just one point from two outings.

But the highly successful former Lyon coach steered the four-time African champions to four consecutive victories and top place with 13 points followed by Gabon (nine), Togo (eight) and Morocco (three).

Cameroon booked a passage to South Africa a few hours after Nigeria topped Group B by winning 3-2 in Kenya and they join South Africa, automatic qualifiers as hosts, Ghana and Ivory Coast as African representatives.

Egypt or Algeria, who clash later Saturday at the Cairo Stadium, will fill the remaining place allocated to the continent at the first World Cup to be staged by Africa.

Among the first actions of Le Guen when he assumed control was to recall Spain-based striker Webo and he repaid a further instalment of his debt to the coach by giving the ‘Lions’ an early lead.

Winning possession on the edge of the penalty area, he cut across several Moroccans before sending an angled shot into the far corner of the net past goalkeeper Nadir Lamyaghri.

There were plenty of yellow cards but no more goals before half-time and the outclassed and demoralised ‘Atlas Lions’ were booed as they trooped off the pitch.

It only got worse for a team once among the most powerful on the continent when Eto’o increased the lead seven minutes into the second half for his ninth goal of the qualifying campaign.

Jean Makoun headed on a Geremi Njitap corner and arch predator and captain Eto’o was waiting to stick out a leg, score and seal a place at the 32-nation international football showpiece.

Arsenal striker Emmanuel Adebayor set up the Togo winner in Lome as the ball struck his thigh en route to Floyd Ayite, whose fierce shot flew into the roof of the net.