SBNation.com - Cameroon Eliminated From World Cup 2010 After 2-1 Loss To Denmarkhttps://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/46737/sbn-fave.png2010-06-19T16:50:32-04:00http://www.sbnation.com/rss/stream/12899472010-06-19T16:50:32-04:002010-06-19T16:50:32-04:002010 World Cup, Cameroon Vs. Denmark: Danes Eliminate Indomitable Lions From South Africa 2010
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<p>Cameroon has become the first team eliminated from the 2010 World Cup after their 2-1 loss to Denmark in Pretoria. Goals by Nicklas Bendtner and Dennis Rommedahl brought the Danes back from an early deficit, when mistakes at the back by Thomas Sorensen and Christian Poulsen gifted Samuel Eto'o the opening goal.</p>
<p>It was the most open game of the tournament, with the teams combining for 36 shots, 12 of which found goal. Cameroon's seven shots on Sorensen were the most in this tournament by a team that lost the game.</p>
<p>As a result, Cameroon is the first team eliminated from the 2010 World Cup. They sit on zero points in Group E and face the Netherlands in the group's final round next Thursday. The Dutch are on six points, three ahead of both Japan and Denmark, who play each other, guaranteeing at least one of the teams will gain points and finish above Cameroon.</p>
<p>Early in the match Cameroon appeared poised to avoid elimination, taking advantage of Danish mistakes to take a lead within ten minutes. Goalkeeper Thomas Sorensen passed the ball from the six yard box to Christian Poulsen, standing outside the penalty area but with three Cameroon players near him. Poulsen tried to move the ball right to Simon Kjaer only to have the pass intercepted, played back to Eto'o in the middle of the box for an easy goal.</p>
<p>Denmark responded before halftime when Dennis Rommedahl beat Cameroon down the right side of attack, rolled a cross over the top of the six yard box, creating an open-net opportunity for Nicklas Bendtner, tying the score.</p>
<p>The sides exchanged near-changes for Jon Dahl Tomasson (set-up again by Rommedahl) and Eto'o (hitting the post) before halftime, though the teams would stay drawn 1-1 into the second half.</p>
<p>In the 61ts minute, man of the match Rommedahl again beat Cameroon through the defense's left, this time keeping the shot for himself, able to beat midfielder Jean Makoun and get a shot off on his left foot, bending it into the far side netting.</p>
<p>Both teams had opportunities in the last third of the match. Rommedahl again tried to set up Tomasson to no avail, and Cameroon's Echille Amana would have equalized in the 77th minute were it not for a fingertip save by Sorensen.</p>
https://www.sbnation.com/2010/6/19/1526187/2010-world-cup-cameroon-vs-denmarkRichard Farley2010-06-19T16:18:27-04:002010-06-19T16:18:27-04:00World Cup 2010, Cameroon Vs. Denmark: Simon Kjaer To Be Suspended For Japan Match
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<p>Simon Kjaer, arguably Denmark’s best defender, will miss Denmark’s third group stage match after picking up a yellow card on Saturday against Cameroon.</p>
<p>Kjaer pulled down a made in midfield and was showed yellow in the 85th minute. Combined with a card received in Denmark’s first group stage match (against the Netherlands), Kjaer has earned a one match suspension.</p>
<p>Denmark plays Japan next Thursday to conclude group play.</p>
https://www.sbnation.com/2010/6/19/1526178/world-cup-2010-cameroon-vs-denmark-simon-kjaerRichard Farley2010-06-19T15:54:24-04:002010-06-19T15:54:24-04:00World Cup 2010, Cameroon Vs. Denmark: Dominant Day For Dennis Rommedahl Continues With 61st Minute Goal
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<p>Dennis Rommedahl assisted on the first Denmark goal and set-up the chance that nearly gave the Danes the lead minutes before halftime, but in the 61st minute against Cameroon the attacker created a scoring opportunity for himself to put Denmark up 2-1.</p>
<p>Again breaking down the right side of attack, Rommedahl pushed the counter attack opportunity toward the goal but was not shown to the line by midfielder Jean Makoun. Rommedahl was allowed to cut-back onto his left foot and bend a ball just inside the far post from 14 yards out.</p>
https://www.sbnation.com/2010/6/19/1526148/world-cup-2010-cameroon-vs-denmark-dennis-rommedahlRichard Farley2010-06-19T15:24:50-04:002010-06-19T15:24:50-04:00World Cup 2010, Cameroon Vs. Denmark: Exchange Of Near Misses Takes Teams Into Halftime Tied 1-1
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<p>Cameroon and Denmark have reached halftime tied at one, with near misses by each team near the end of the first half remarkably keeping the match tied.</p>
<p>Three minutes before half time, Danish attacker Jon Dahl Tomasson had a shot toward an empty net blocked when Alexandre Song laid out in front of his attempt from 15 yards out, a shot that was set-up after Dennis Rommadahl again beat the defense on the right side, drew out goalkeeper Souleymanou Hamidou before poking a pass to Tomasson.</p>
<p>Seconds later, Achille Emana similarly collapses the defense, this time Denmark’s, before feeding Samuel Eto’o, who hit the base of the left post with his shot.</p>
<p>After the near-misses, the sides remain drawn at halftime, with goals from Samuel Eto’o (10’) and Nicklas Bendtner (33’) responsible for the scoring.</p>
https://www.sbnation.com/2010/6/19/1526116/world-cup-2010-cameroon-denmark-halftimeRichard Farley2010-06-19T15:15:59-04:002010-06-19T15:15:59-04:00World Cup 2010, Cameroon Vs. Denmark: Nicklas Bendtner Goal Pulls Denmark Even
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<p>Denmark has pulled back Samuel Eto’o with a 33rd minute goal from Nicklas Bendtner, putting the teams level at one approaching halftime.</p>
<p>The opportunity game when Dennis Rommedahl beat the Cameroon offside trap. The Danish attacker drew the goalkeeper and slid the ball across to Bendtner for an easy goal.</p>
<p>It was Bendtner’s 12th goal in 33 appearances for Denmark and the team’s first goal of the tournament.</p>
https://www.sbnation.com/2010/6/19/1526099/world-cup-2010-cameroon-vs-denmark-nicklas-bendtnerRichard Farley2010-06-19T14:45:45-04:002010-06-19T14:45:45-04:00World Cup 2010, Cameroon Vs. Denmark: Samuel Eto'o, Lions Jump On Sloppy Danes, Take 10th Minute Lead
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<p>Denmark has gifted Cameroon a 10th minute goal in Saturday’s third match, giving Samuel Eto’o and the Indomitable Lions their first goal of their tournament and a 1-0 lead.</p>
<p>Goalkeeper Thomas Sorensen played a ball to Christian Poulsen just outside the top of the penalty area despite Cameroon exerting high pressure with a number of players. Poulsen touched it to Denmark’s right flank, where the ball was intercepted.</p>
<p>One pass later, Samuel Eto’o was in possession in the middle of the box, beating Sorensen to the goalkeeper’s right for a 1-0 lead.</p>
https://www.sbnation.com/2010/6/19/1526064/world-cup-2010-cameroon-vs-denmark-samuel-etooRichard Farley2010-06-19T13:29:45-04:002010-06-19T13:29:45-04:00World Cup 2010 Cameroon Vs. Denmark: Clash Of Consistent Styles
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<p><a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/soccer/fifa/teams/Denmark">Denmark</a> and <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/soccer/fifa/teams/Cameroon">Cameroon</a> are two of the more consistent teams in this draw, and when they face each other in the late match on Saturday, we’ll see an an example of why "consistent" is such a versatile word.</p>
<p>With Morten Olsen’s Denmark, you are always going to get a set-up backed-up by smart-if-conservative tactics. Denmark’s clever moments happen off-the-pitch, such as the small shift in formation prior to the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/soccer/fifa/teams/Netherlands">Netherlands</a> match that saw them playing more of a 4-5-1 than their customary 4-3-3.</p>
<p>Cameroon is a different type of consistent. When the Lions play, you will - a couple of times per match - raise your head from your match-watching posture to ask yourself "What is Cameroon trying to do?" Most of the time, it’s unclear. A couple of nice Eto’o runs, some through balls that connect with players making diagonal runs, but no consistent approach to trying for goals.</p>
<p>On Saturday, we'll see consistent if conflicting teams.</p>
<p><b>Denmark, Going Forward:</b> Cameroon has strength in defensive midfield with the likes of <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/soccer/fifa/players/110134/Jean_Makoun">Jean Makoun</a> and Joel Matip, but Denmark’s formation conveniently deploys players around, not within, them. <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/soccer/fifa/players/110199/Nicklas_Bendtner">Nicklas Bendtner</a> will play along the line while Thomas Kahlenberg and <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/soccer/fifa/players/110198/Dennis_Rommedahl">Dennis Rommedahl</a> attack wide.</p>
<p>While <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/soccer/fifa/players/110129/Benoit_Assou_Ekotto">Benoit Assou-Ekotto</a> and Stephane M’Bia should be able to contain the wide attackers’ ability to cut-in and threaten goal, it’s unclear whether they’ll be able to prevent the type of service that nearly put Denmark ahead of the Netherlands earlier this week. </p>
<p><b>Cameroon, Going Forward:</b> Again, Cameroon’s lack of meaningful width is problematic, as is Samuel Eto’o’s reluctance to play a wide role as the Indomitable Lions look to slam their attack and its best players directly into the middle of Denmark's defense: <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/soccer/fifa/players/110183/Daniel_Agger">Daniel Agger</a>, <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/soccer/fifa/players/110180/Simon_Kjaer">Simon Kjaer</a>, and <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/soccer/fifa/players/110194/Christian_Poulsen">Christian Poulsen</a>. It will take something unexpected from Eto’o, Pierre Webo and <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/soccer/fifa/players/110133/Achille_Emana">Achille Emana</a> (when he’s on) to create something, and without the tactics to support them opening-up the Danes, the Lions may be left hoping for set pieces and direct kicks.</p>
<p><b>How The Match Turns:</b> Once midfielder <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/soccer/fifa/players/110188/Martin_Jorgensen">Martin Jorgensen</a> and Thomas Enevoldsen become acquainted with the depth at which the Cameroon midfielders want to play, they will adjust and start picking out Denmark’s wide attackers. From there, the could seem disappointingly easy for Denmark as Cameroon’s struggles continue.</p>
https://www.sbnation.com/2010/6/19/2316654/world-cup-2010-cameroon-vs-denmark-clash-of-consistent-stylesRichard Farley