WORLD CUP: Mexico triumph over lacklustre Cameroon

Oribe Peralta struck in the second half as
Mexico got their World Cup campaign under
way with a 1-0 victory over lacklustre
Cameroon in rain-lashed Natal.
It was no more than the Mexicans deserved
after playing the more enterprising football
and having two Giovani dos Santos goals
controversially disallowed for offside in the
first half.
Cameroon almost snatched a last-gasp
equaliser but Guillermo Ochoa saved well from
a firm Benjamin Moukandjo header.
With Brazil and Croatia their other opponents
in Group A, Mexico will be relieved to have
claimed the three-points from a full-blooded
encounter played in heavy rain at the Arena
das Dunas.
A number of hefty challenges went unpunished
throughout the game by Colombian referee
Wilmar Roldan but Mexico always looked the
stronger side.
Peralta netted after 61 minutes and with Dos
Santos also shining, the strike pair justified
their selection ahead of Manchester United's
Javier Hernandez.
Both sides had entered the competition with
question marks over their readiness.
Mexico - having had four coaches in the past
year and only qualifying via a play-off against
New Zealand - boasted little form having lost
recent friendlies to Bosnia-Herzegovina and
Portugal.
Cameroon's preparations had been chaotic
with the squad arriving in Brazil a day later
than planned after a row over bonuses with
their national federation.
The African players had also been under fire
from their fans and media after failing to
accept a symbolic flag from their prime
minister.
Those issues seemed to be hampering
Cameroon as they started poorly and rarely
threatened to improve upon a record that has
seen them win just once at a World Cup finals
since 1990.
Mexico quickly made an impression with
Miguel Layun firing over and Hector Herrera
shooting at former Liverpool goalkeeper
Charles Itandje from distance.
The first moment of controversy came when
Dos Santos brilliantly turned in a cross from
Herrera on the volley only to see a flag raised.
Replays suggested the striker had been
unlucky, although it was a marginal call.
Eric Choupo-Moting put the ball in the net as
Cameroon finally started to show some life,
but there was little doubt about the offside
decision that denied him.
In a good spell for Cameroon, Tottenham's
Benoit Assou-Ekotto charged down the left to
tee up Samuel Eto'o but the former Chelsea
forward's shot grazed the post.
Choupo-Moting was unlucky again when he
headed straight at Ochoa and Mexico
eventually scrambled clear.
Cameroon's purple patch proved brief and
Mexico were denied by a flag again when Dos
Santos stooped to head in from a Layun
corner.
Dos Santos was in an offside position as the
ball was swung in but the ball was diverted
into his path by Choupo-Moting and not
flicked on by a Mexico team-mate.
The first half ended with Stephane Mbia
escaping a booking for connecting with a
forearm to the head of Alex Song. It was one
of a number of robust challenges which
Roldan dealt with leniently.
Mexico maintained their tempo after the break
and Peralta was denied by a good Itanjde
block.
Cameroon's next chance came from a set-
piece as Assou-Ekotto had a free-kick
deflected narrowly wide.
Mexico deservedly made their breakthrough
just after the hour.
Dos Santos raced through but was denied
again, this time by Itanjde, but Peralta seized
on the rebound to stroke the ball home.
Peralta made way for Hernandez soon after as
Mexico looked to his fresh legs to make the
win secure.
Cameroon also made a forward change as
they searched for an equaliser, sending on
striker Pierre Webo for former Arsenal
midfielder Song.
Rafael Marquez blocked a shot from Choupo-
Moting and Francisco Rodriquez needed to
stretch to intercept as Eto'o threatened.
Ochoa then did well to keep out Moukandjo's
header but Hernandez should have made it
2-0 when he missed the target in injury time.