Soccer News of Monday, 18 November 2013

Source: Vanguard

Cameroon Qualify for Seventh World Cup

Cameroon produced an emphatic display to beat Tunisia 4-1 in their play-off second leg and qualify for next summer's World Cup. It's the seventh time they will be reaching the World Cup, a record feat by any African team.

Pierre Webo, whose extraordinary point-blank miss was chiefly responsible for the first leg ending goalless, scored early on this time and Benjamin Moukandjo added a second before the break.

Half-time substitute Ahmed Akaichi took less than five minutes to make an impact, pulling a goal back, but Jean Makoun's double sealed the Indomitable Lions' place in Brazil.

The opener came just three minutes in when Webo dispossessed defender Karim Haggui and produced a neat low left-footed finish across keeper Moez Ben Cherifia and in off the far post

Cameroon dominated the early stages and Benoit Assou-Ekotto's long-range shot took a deflection and an awkward bounce in front of Ben Cherifia, but he dealt with the ball.

But Moukandjo made it 2-0 in the 31st minute when he dribbled through three Tunisian defenders and fired low inside the near post. His exuberant celebrations brought him a yellow card but the goal took his side a big step closer to Brazil.

Samuel Eto'o failed to shape a curling effort inside the far post but Tunisia threatened when Syam Ben Youssouf headed wide from a dangerous set-piece.

And Akaichi cut the deficit when he raced past defender Aurelien Chedjou on to a bouncing through-ball and lashed a first-time left-footed shot past keeper Charles Itandje.

He almost made an unwanted contribution at the other end as Makoun's header from a corner deflected off him and just over the crossbar.

But another set-piece took Cameroon clear as Assou-Ekotto's corner was headed home at the near post by the unmarked Makoun.

Moukandjo missed a glorious chance to kill the tie off once and for all when, one on one with Ben Cherifia, he first side-footed straight at the keeper and then casually skied the rebound over the bar.

The same player's clumsy touch ended a classy Cameroon break from a Tunisian corner and Makoun failed to play in Eric Choupo-Moting.

But Makoun netted his second, and Cameroon's fourth, when he tapped into an empty net after Choupo-Moting's low shot came back off the post.

Qualified Countries

Nigeria, Argentina, Brazil, Costa Rica,Germany, Japan, Russia, Australia, Cameroon, Cote d'Ivoire, Honduras, South Korea, Spain, Belgium, Chile, Ecuador, Iran, Netherlands, Switzerland, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Colombia, England, Italy, USA