Fifa World Cup: Peralta strike gives Mexico win in Natal rainstorm

Mexico got just rewards for their attacking intent when Oribe Peralta's 61st minute strike gave them a 1-0 win over Cameroon in their World Cup opener at a rain-saturated Dunas arena on Friday.

The Mexicans had two Giovani dos Santos efforts controversially disallowed in the first half but Peralta's goal means they will now feel they have a good chance of progressing from Group A, which also includes hosts Brazil and Croatia.

Cameroon, who only arrived in Brazil after a player strike was averted by last-minute negotiations, had packed their midfield in an attempt to stifle the Mexicans and lone striker Samuel Eto'o failed to find the goal with his few opportunities.

Mexico came out to attack as coach Miguel Herrera had promised and "El Tri" dominated the opening exchanges with wingbacks Miguel Layun and Paul Aguilar getting plenty of space out wide.

Dos Santos first found the net with a neat volley after 11 minutes but was called back despite appearing to be in line with the defenders.

Cameroon could have taken the lead after 21 minutes when fullback Benoit Assou-Ekotto beat two defenders and found Eto'o in the box but the striker was able only hit the outside of the post.

Eto'o had another chance three minutes later but was unable to control the ball when Eric-Maxim Choupo Moting headed it down to his feet in the six yard box.

Mexico should have been in front after 29 minutes when Andres Guardado's free kick from the right found Rafael Marquez and Hector Moreno unmarked at the far post but the opportunity went begging.

If the decision to deny dos Santos a first goal could be called a marginal call, the second after half an hour was a clear error.

A corner swung in from the left was flicked on by one Cameroon defender and, as another raced off the line, dos Santos managed to turn back and head the ball into the net.

As the rain continued to lash down, Peralta almost broke the deadlock three minutes after the break when dos Santos's flick played him through on goal only for Cameroon goalkeeper Charles Itandje to block his shot with his legs.

Cameroon's Assou-Ekotto had a free kick deflected off the Mexico wall and just wide after 58 minutes but the game did not have to wait much longer for its first goal.

Dos Santos was released through the middle of the Cameroon defence and when Itandje managed to stop his low drive, Peralta was on hand to steer the ball into the empty net and send Herrera and the thousands of Mexican fans into paroxysms of joy.

Cameroon continued to threaten from set pieces and Mexico goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa was forced to make a fine save to prevent Benjamin Moukandjo equalising with a header in stoppage time.

Branded traitors at home after the strike over bonuses, the Cameroon players had hoped to answer their critics on the pitch and a fifth successive World Cup defeat was not what that had been looking for.

Cameroon have now won just one World Cup match since becoming the first African team to reach the quarter-finals in 1990.

FULL TIME

Mexico 1 (Peralta 61") Cameroon 0

90+2" Man United striker Hernandez misses after Chedjou's cross with the goal at his mercy.

90+1" Ochoa makes a great save after a superb header from Moukandjo following a fine cross from Assou-Ekotto.

80" Samuel Eto'o's right footed shot from outside the box is blocked.

79" Song comes off, and Achille Webo, a striker, comes on for Cameroon.

78" Free kick by Santos from the edge of the box on the left is cleared away comfortably.

77" YELLOW! Dany Nounkeu is booked for a nasty challenge on Fabian.

73" Mexico make another change as Javier 'Chicharito' Hernandez comes in for Peralta.

69" Mexico make a change. Guardado off, Fabian on.

61" GOAL! Oribe Peralta puts Mexico with a brilliant finish to sweeping move latching onto a rebound from Santos and lashing it home with his left foot into the bottom corner.

Mexico 1 (Peralta 61") Cameroon 0

58"  Great chance for Cameroon but Assou-Ekotto's free kick is fired wide to the left and the subsequent corner is cleared to safety.

57" YELLOW! The first booking of the match goes to Hector Morena.

48" Peralta fires straight at Itandje after a superb feather touch flick from Santos.

46" Cameroon get the second half under way.

Cameroon make a change at the break as Dany Nounkeu comes on for Cedric Djeugoue at right-back.

Mexico and Cameroon were goalless at halftime in their World Cup opener on Friday after two Giovani Dos Santos efforts were controversially disallowed for offside on a rain-soaked pitch.

The Mexicans, cheered on by thousands of fans, dominated possession in the Group A match and created a number of chances on the slick pitch as they attacked down the wings.

Dos Santos twice had the ball in the net, the first a volley and the second a header off a corner kick.

Samuel Eto'o came close for Cameroon, with a shot that just went wide.

HALF TIME

Mexico 0 Cameroon 0

45" There are two minutes of stoppage time.

30" Mexico are unlucky again as a header Giovani dos Santos from a corner which is deflected off a defender is ruled offside.

27" Márquez's header from the centre of the box misses the target.

21" Eto'o hits the left post from the centre after a fine cross by Assou-Ekotto.

18" Assou-Ekotto's left footed shot from outside the box is off target.

11" Giovani dos Santos fires into the net after a through ball from Herrera which is ruled offide.

7" Layún's right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the bottom left corner.

3" Mexico hold the upper hand with Aguilar firing a low shot towards the near post which was deflected but a corner was not awarded by the referee.

1" Mexico get the second match of the Fifa World Cup underway in gloomy Natal.

Mexico coach Miguel Herrera left Manchester United forward Javier 'Chicharito' Hernandez on the bench for the Aztecs' opening World Cup clash with Cameroon on Friday.

Up front, Mexico will field Giovani Dos Santos and Oribe Peralta as the hosts look for the goals that could send them top of Group A, or at least second, with a win against Volker Finke's side.

Cameroon coach Finke, meanwhile, will rely on experienced Chelsea striker Samuel Eto'o, as well as Eric Choupou-Moting, to provide the goals at a rain-drenched Estadio das Dunas.

Brazil went top of Group A on Thursday with a 3-1 win over Croatia.

Teams:

Mexico: 13-Guillermo Ochoa; 7-Miguel Layun, 2-Francisco Rodriguez, 4-Rafael Marquez, 15-Hector Moreno; 22 Paul Aguilar, 6-Hector Herrera, 18-Andres Guardado, 23-Jose Juan Vazquez; 10-Giovani Dos Santos, 19-Oribe Peralta

Subs: 1-Jesus Corona, 3-Carlos Salcido, 5-Diego Reyes, 8-Marco Fabian, 9-Raul Jimenez, 11-Alan Pulido, 12-Alfredo Talavera, 14-Javier Hernandez, 16-Miguel Ponce, 17-Isaac Brizuela, 20-Javier Aquino, 21-Carlos Pena

Cameroon: 16-Charles Itandje; 2-Benoit Assou-Ekotto, 4-Cedric Djeugou, 14-Aurelien Chedjou, 3-Nicolas Nkoulou; 17-Stephane Mbia, 6-Alexandre Song, 18-Enoh Eyong, 8-Benjamin Moukandjo; 13-Eric-Maxim Choupo Moting, 9-Samuel Eto'o

Subs: 1-Loic Feudjou, 5-Dany Nounkeu, 7-Landry Nguemo, 10-Vincent Aboubakar, 11-Jean Makoun, 12-Henri Bedimo, 15-Achille Webo, 19-Fabrice Olinga, 20-Edgar Salli, 21-Joel Matip, 22-Allan Nyom, 23-Sammy Ndjock

Referee: Wilmar Roldan (Colombia)

PREVIEW

Mexico and Cameroon would be prime contenders for the title of most fortunate qualifiers for the World Cup but both will fancy their chances of progressing from Group A if they can win their opening encounter on Friday.

Hosts Brazil and Croatia round out the group so traditional early tournament caution could be thrown to the wind at the Dunas arena with both teams knowing that a draw is unlikely to much help their cause.

CONCACAF powerhouse Mexico just scraped through to a playoff only courtesy of a dramatic last gasp victory by the United States over Panama last year before overwhelming New Zealand to secure their place at a sixth successive World Cup.

They have shown distinct signs of revival under the aggressive guidance of Miguel Herrera - the team's fourth coach since last September - and should offer plenty of entertainment to the many fans who have followed them down to Brazil.

Cameroon's Lions likewise looked anything but indomitable in their qualifying campaign and they needed the reversal of a 2-0 defeat to Togo after their West African rivals fielded a suspended player to get to a playoff.

They thumped Tunisia 4-1 on aggregate to reach a seventh successive World Cup finals, however, and a 2-2 draw against Germany in a friendly last week offered some hope that Volker Finke's team were starting to click.

Cameroon football is never that simple, however, and the squad boarded a flight to Brazil some 12 hours late on Monday after a threatened strike over bonus payments was averted by frantic negotiations.

The differences between skipper Samuel Eto'o and some of his team mates have been well publicised but the 33-year-old remains a formidable striker and will be hoping to emulate the even more aged Roger Milla's heroics at the 1990 finals in Italy.

That unprecedented journey to the quarter-finals was the last time Cameroon progressed beyond the first round, however, and they will be looking for only their second World Cup win in the intervening 24 years on Friday.

With Alex Song and Enoh Eyong offering a solid bedrock to the Cameroon midfield, Mexico are likely to focus their attack on the flanks, where Herrera's wingbacks will look to get behind the defence.

Up front, Herrera looks likely to leave Manchester United striker Javier 'Little Pea' Hernandez - Mexico's third most prolific goalscorer of all time - on the bench in favour of the partnership of Oribe Peralta and Giovani dos Santos.

'El Tri' are also likely to be cheered on by the majority of the fans at the 38,958-capacity Dunas arena.

Natal is the closest of the host venues to Africa but it is the sight of the sombrero and the sound of the mariachi band that have been most evident in the resort city in the days leading up to the match.

The dream of those fans is a first quarter-final since Mexico hosted the 1986 tournament but defeat to Cameroon on Friday is likely to see them bow out in the group stage for the first time since 1978.



 

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