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Cameroon had only
managed a draw from three previous meetings against Japan, but they
failed to improve on that on Monday as they slumped to a 1-0 loss to
the Samurai Blue.

The Indomitable
Lions, who were anything but indomitable on the day, failed to qualify
four years ago and crashed out of the three previous finals at the
group stages, while the Japanese went out in the group stages four
years ago, having reached the last 16 as co-hosts in 2002.

Much was expected
from the Indomitable Lions prior to the match, but in a surprisingly
uninteresting game in Bloemfontein, they lacked the will to overcome
the Asians and a solitary goal followed by a disciplined rearguard
action saw the Japanese upset the odds to claim a famous win.

It however, took 38
minutes for the first shot on target to arrive, as Japanese keeper,
Eiji Kawashima, gathered a tame shot from Enoh Eyong.

But almost
immediately, Japan broke the deadlock as a deep Daisuke Matsui cross
from the right, ran over a couple of Cameroonian defenders, and onto
the path of Keisuke Honda who collected at the far post and coolly
slotted a left-foot shot past the onrushing Hamidou Souleymanou.

Second half

The second half got
off to a lively start, with Samuel Eto’o, who had been virtually
anonymous before the break, evading three defenders before carving out
a good chance for team-mate Eric Choupo-Moting, whose shot drifted
narrowly wide of the far post.

Cameroon coach,
Paul Le Guen, brought on all three substitutes to try and shake things
up, but the closest they came to unlocking the Japanese defence was a
superb long-range effort from Stephane Mbia, which cannoned back off
the crossbar with the goalkeeper well beaten.

Shinji Okazaki then
had a chance to put the game beyond the Cameroonians, but he was
flagged offside as his powerful effort hit the post.

Monday’s loss was
the first time the Indomitable Lions would be losing an opening match
at the World Cup. For the Japanese, the win means they have now claimed
their first ever victory on foreign soil at a World Cup finals, and
take second place in the group behind the Netherlands, who defeated the
Danes 2-0 earlier in the day.