FIFA 2010 World Cup Live Results: Japan vs. Cameroon

Good afternoon, or morning depending on where you are reading this. The second game of Group E is close to kick-off and both teams will be hoping for all three points. Holland currently lead the group after picking up all three points against Denmark.

Both Japan and Cameroon will fancy their chances of qualifying after a less than convincing performance from Denmark against the Dutch.

Full Time Synopsis:

Japan were the better of two very poor teams and deserved the three points but just marginally.

Cameroon and Japan both looked to be very short of attacking ideas and there was very little quality on show.

Denmark will still be hopefully for qualification despite losing due to the awful showing by Cameroon and Japan.

This game would have been better off not being televised as it was a very poor display and has been without doubt the worst game of the competiton so far.

94: Cameroon's last effort is cleared and the final whistle sounds for the end of the game.

Japan get an epic win for their nation, but it made for less than enjoyable watching.

93: Kawashima makes a great low save to his left off a shot from Geremi deep inside the Japan area.

92: Japan are trying everything they can to waste time.

90: Cameroon have been trying to break the Japanese defense down and just can not muster up any sort of chance.

88: Japan Sub: Hasebe off for Inamato

84: What a strike. Mbia from 25-30 yards out smashed a shot off the Japan crossbar and was inches away from scoring the goal of the tournament.

82: The Cameroon goalkeeper makes a mess of a simple save and lucky for him and his team that Japan could not score on the rebound as the play was called dead for offside.

81: Japan Sub: Okubo off for Yano

80: Honda wins his team a free-kick and is happy to waste time, as his Japan side are just 10 minutes away from their first World Cup win outside of Japan

78:  For the first time in the game the Japanese keeper comes and punches a cross clear for his team.

76: Samuel Eto'o is probably wishing he did in-fact leave the Cameroon team ten days ago rather than just making an empty threat.

74: Cameroon Sub: Moting off for Idrissou and Makoun off for Njitap

73: Most of the players and observers of this game will be counting down the minutes until this footballing disaster-piece is over.

72: The free-kick from Endo goes over everyones head and out for a goal-kick.

71: Okazaki wins a free-kick somewhat unfairly.

70: Cameroon string some passes together put again Japan just crowd them out in front of their box.

Japan are playing with only Honda up front with the other ten all happy to sit tight and defend.

69: Matsui was one of the better players on show today but looked dead on his feet as he made way.

68: Japan Sub: Matsui off for Okazaki

67: Cameroon corners goes over everyones head and out for a throw on the other side of the pitch, which sums up Cameroon's performance so far.

66: Cameroon need to move Eto'o in to a more central possession and allow him to be in a better position to attempt shots on goal.

65: Emana shows some fancy footwork but fails to keep possession.

64: Awarding the man of the match in this game is slim, slim pickings.

63:  Cameroon Sub: Matip off for Emana

62: Ekotto takes the corner which is swung through the Japanese box. Again the Japan keeper comes and fails to even make contact with the ball.

61: Cameroon win a free-kick some 20 yards out. Ekotto takes it and the ball is headed behind for a corner.

60: The game has been reduced to almost walking pace with free-kicks, throw-ins and goal-kicks destroying any possible flow the game may generate.

58: Cameroon need to make a change to try and alter their game-plan, because they have failed for just under an hour to create a really threaten chance. 

56: Moting races down the left wing and takes a long-range shot that goes wide and near looked like troubling the Japan goal.

55: Japan still have Inamoto, Tamada and Nakamura on their bench if they wanted to liven things up, but Cameroon are playing right into Japan's hands.

54: I said before this game that Japan and Cameroon would be very hopeful looking at how Denmark played against the Dutch. The Danish must be licking their lips looking at their Group E counterparts.

52: Play is a little sloppy again, but Cameroon have began to up the tempo, but are still lacking that final ball.

50: I was surprised not to see Song or Nguemo come off the Cameroon bench to try and push the Japanese midfield backward. Eto'o working on the right wing does not seem to be having the desired effect that Paul Le Guen was hoping.

49: Great footwork but Eto'o in the Japan corner lead to a great chance to Moting, who just missed the top right-hand corner of the Japan goal. Cameroon were just inches away.

48: Okubo drives at the Cameroon defense and win a free-kick just outside the box. The free-kick is blocked by the wall and leads to nothing.

47: Moting gives away a free-kick and the Cameroon corner is wasted, much like their entire first half performance

46: Cameroon win an early corner as Eto'o puts pressure on Komano.

45: Japan start the second half and surely it can only get better.

First Half Synopsis:

There are not enough words in the English language that can describe how awful the first half has been. By far the worst 45 minutes of the World Cup, and it has felt like a punishment watching this game.

Any highlights of this game that are shown on a later date will be very short. Very short. The only bright element of the game has been Cameroon's jersey, which looks like it has been drawn on with a highlighting marker.

47: The referee blows the whistle for the end of the first half and anyone who was unable to watch the game, count yourself lucky.

Japan lead thanks to a Honda goal but overall the game has been quite disappointing.

45: Two minutes of additional time, which is probably for the best.

44: Webo dives in a desperate attempt to win a penalty.

42: Honda lived up to his end of the deal, but Eto'o, Webo and Makoun have been shadows in this game.

41: Cameroon were tipped one of the better African teams in the tournament, but they have played awful and have failed to create anything of considerable quality.

40: Neither team really deserve to be in the lead or behind, but the game may finally open with due to Honda's strike.

Of course Japan could go into a shell and try to defend their one goal and kill us all with boredom.

38: GOAL ... Thank God. Honda with a simple tap in after being left alone 6 yards out from goal.

36: Ekotto sends the ball into the Japan box and havec breaks lose. Japan finally clear and get a free-kick just outside their box.

35: The camera-man just showed a bird on the side of the pitch, which epitomizes the quality of the game thus far.

34: Eto'o's first drive at the Japanese defense lead to Moting just missing a pass in the Japan penalty area.

33: Japan send two cross across the Cameroon box, one from either side which are both cleared but the Cameroon defense looks shaky despite having big names from the English Premier League.

31: This match is a matter of which goalkeeper will make the first mistake and so far its 2-1 to Japan's Kawashima over Souleymanou.

30: A very deep cross was attempted to be brought in by Japan's keeper, Kawashima, who failed to take the ball in cleanly and then smacked into the ground quite painfully.

29: Despite Cameroon's quailty and big names they are looking very average.

26: Japan have been working everything through Honda, and it is all very easy for Cameroon to snuff out.

25: A long ball sails past the Cameroon defense and may have caused problems is a Japan forward was a little more mobile.

24: Cameroon have a throw-in deep in Japan's half. A poor cross leads in the move breaking down and another possible chance goes out the window.

23: Eto'o attempts to start a forward move but his pass is off target.

22: Both keepers have made themselves look quite foolish and it either team can create a decent chance it could result in a "Robert Green" type chance.

20: Cameroon make of mess of a simple cross. Despite the play being offside, Cameroon's keeper came out to catch the cross and completely flashed at it.

He also crashed into Honda, who has needed to come off the field for treatment.

18: The game is very sluggish and neither of the teams creative players, Eto'o, Webo or Honda have been able to get on the ball.

16: Cameroon look the more settled. An attempted cross by Japan is deflected and goes harmlessly into the arms of Souleymanou.

15: As always the crowd is as noisy as possible, but the stands are quite empty considering an African nation are playing.

13: Japan have a throw-in deep in Cameroon territory. Honda tries to drive into the Cameroon box but is out-muscled.

11: Japan look very poor so far and can not hold possession with any great deal.

10: First real threat from Cameroon. Free-kick whipped in from wide left and the Japanese goalkeeper made a terrible effort to punch clear and Japan were let off as the referee awarded a free-out.

09: Mbia tries the first piece of skill in the game, but his back-heel does not pay off.

07: Eto'o and Webo linked well to work inside the Japanese box but the ball back across the box was slightly behind Moting and was cleared away from danger.

06: The majority of passes have been wasteful, long balls.

05: Long ball by Ekotto leads to nothing. Japan look like they are set up quite defensively and the only exciting thing so far is Ekotto mountainous hair-do.

03: Long ball by Japan leads to nothing. The opening stages have been very scrappy.

02: First Japan attack ends in a free-kick to Cameroon.

01: Both teams have started cagey.

00: Kickoff.

Team News

Japan: 4-5-1

Kawashima

Nagatomo, Tanaka, Nakazawa, Komano

Abe, Endo, Hasebe (C), Matsui, Honda

Okubo

One To Watch: Keisuke Honda

Cameroon: 4-3-3

Souleymanou

Bassong, N’Koulou, Mbia, Assou-Ekotto,

Enow, Makoun, Matip,

Choupo-Moting, Eto’o (C) Webo

One To Watch: Samuel Eto'o