The first team to be eliminated from the World Cup could come today as Denmark and Cameroon clash (2:30pm, ABC) in an intriguing Group E match.
Cameroon could be knocked out of the tournament even before it plays its final group stage match if it loses today. Samuel Eto'o and the rest of the Indomitable Lions won't want to let that happen, and will need to show more offensively if it wants to break down the disciplined Danish defense.
Denmark can't be eliminated today, but will need to be wary of a desperate Cameroon attack if it wants to earn a result. Daniel Agger having a strong performance could go a long ways to helping the Danes avoid defeat.
This is Franco Panizo and I'll be providing commentary for today's match. As always, if you'll be watching today's match please feel free to leave your comments, opinions and analysis in the comments section.
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FINAL- That's all for me today. Please feel free to share your post-game thoughts in the comments section below, and stay tuned to SBI and FoxSoccer.com for more World Cup coverage.
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FINAL- Denmark can reach round of 16 with win over Japan, but the Danes will need to shore up their defense for that happen.
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FINAL- Despite taking 23 shots, Cameroon couldn't pull out the draw and keep its World Cup dreams alive. Eto'o didn't do enough over the course of 90 minutes to help Cameroon get the result.
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FINAL- Denmark takes the three points with a 2-1 victory. What a dreadful defensive display by Cameroon, and what a terrible result for the African nation.
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93rd minute- There's the final whistle! Denmark wins 2-1. Cameroon is first team eliminated from the World Cup. Wow.
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90th minute- Three minutes of stoppage time added. Is it enough for Cameroon?
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88th minute- Nothing comes of the free kick. Poor service, not enough height on the cross.
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87th minute- Kjaer picks up a yellow and Cameroon will have a great kick opportunity.
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85th minute- Idrissou gets a header off, but hits it high. Cameroon is running out of time to pull level. The Indomitable Lions need to get the ball to Eto'o and quick.
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81st minute- Cameroon is pushing everyone forward, as it should. Can Denmark contain the wave of attacks its facing? I'd say yes.
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77th minute- WOW. Emana hits a shot with his right foot inside the penalty area, but Sorensen makes a good save to deny the equalizer.
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75th minute- Mbia is given a yellow card for a poor sliding challenge.
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72nd minute- Cameroon making a tactical substitution. Forward Mohammadou Idrissou in for defender Bassong.
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70th minute- Tomasson is played through on goal, but his shot isn't accurate enough as Hamidou makes a big, big save.
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66th minute- Change for Denmark. Grokjaer is out and Thomas Kahlenberg is coming in.
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63rd minute- Webo gets on the end of a cross but his header goes wide.
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62nd minute- Rommedahl cuts inside on Makoun on the left side of the area and curls his shot into the net. With this score Cameroon would be out of the tournament.
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61st minute- GOAL! Denmark takes the lead through a strike from Rommedahl! WOW.
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57th minute- Webo gets by Agger but his shot inside the area is sent to row W seat 10.
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55th minute- The frantic pace of the game that I'm sure most were enjoying has slowed down a bit. Darn.
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50th minute- Driven shot from Christian Poulsen is hit over the goal, but it was close.
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49th minute- Denmark is awarded a free kick right outside the penalty area and Bassong is given a yellow for his troubles.
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47th minute- Mbia heads the ball on goal, but Sorenson knocks it away. The nonstop action continues.
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46th minute- And we're underway.
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HALFTIME- Despite the horrid defensive displays, I don't expect any substitutions to be made at the intermission.
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HALFTIME- Cameroon will feel unlucky to not be ahead, but it should get more looks in the second half as long as it continues to apply pressure on Agger and the rest of Denmark's defense.
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HALFTIME- This has turned into a wide open affair, with both defenses giving up acres of space and hitting sloppy passes.
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46th minute- Referee blows the whistle and arguably the best half at this World Cup comes to a close.
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44th minute- This game is blown wide open. Pretty exciting stuff.
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43rd minute- Emana dribbles through a pair of Danish defenders but his shot goes right to Sorenson. That sound you hear is Denmark breathing a sigh of relief.
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43rd minute- WOW! Eto'o takes advantage of the shoddy Danish defense and his shot smacks off the left post. Unlucky there, but the game is getting really entertaining.
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41st minute- Rommedahl gets behind Cameroon's back line and lays it off to Bendtner, whose shot in front of a goalkeeper-less net is blocked by a defender. WOW.
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38th minute- This game is wide open now. Rest of the way should be entertaining.
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35th minute- Assou-Ekotto was beaten on the goal. Not surprised.
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34th minute- Incredible, pinpoint passing to unlock Cameroon's defense. Kjaer plays an accurate long ball to Rommedahl, who races onto it before sliding it to Bendtner in the center of the area. Great stuff.
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33rd minute- GOAL DENMARK! 1-1!!! Bendtner taps the ball in from the center of the penalty area!
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32nd minute- Cameroon is knocking the ball beautifully right now. Lots of quick, short passing.
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29th minute- Emana takes advantage of the space Kjaer allows him and he takes a shot, but it goes wide.
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27th minute- Denmark struggling to get out of its own half right now. Niklas Bendtner is the only player not defending inside Denmark's half.
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23rd minute- Cameroon isn't taking its foot off the pedal. The attack is still pushing forward quickly and the defense pressing high to try and get another goal.
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20th minute- Danish defense has been shaky, continuously putting its own players under pressure with wayward passing.
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18th minute- Nothing comes from the corner. Denmark needs to take advantage of those if it wants to get back in this game.
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17th minute- Gronkjaer earns Denmark a corner kick after his shot is deflected out of bounds.
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13th minute- Emana has a ball fall to him outside the 18 and he blasts a driven shot that just goes wide of the goal. Denmark is on its heels right now.
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11th minute- Cameroon takes advantage of a Danish defensive blunder, picking off a questionable pass before Eto'o received the ball and finished easily.
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10th minute- GOAL CAMEROON!!! ETO'O bur
ies a shot low and hard from close range.
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10th minute- Free kick goes straight
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9th minute- Gronkjaer trips Geremi and Cameroon has a dangerous free kick from the left flank.
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7th minute- Rommedahl is played behind Cameroon's defense but his shot is skied over. Assou-Ekotto lost him there. What a surprise, okay not really.
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5th minute- Eto'o opts to shoot from outside the box, but it provides no harm as it rolls wide left.
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3rd minute- A foul called on Cameroon when it was on the attack. The players looked very frustrated with that call.
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1st minute- How Samuel Eto'o fares today will play a big role in the result. For Cameroon's sake, he needs to be a lot more active and dangerous than he was against Japan.
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PRE-GAME- Denmark's lineup:
—–Tomasson———-Bendtner———Rommedahl—-
———Jorgensen——————-Gronkjaer———-
————————–C. Poulsen————————–
—S. Poulsen——-Agger——-Kjaer——-Jacobsen—
————————-Sorensen—————————
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PRE-GAME- Cameroon's lineup:
———————–Eto'o—————————–
———————————Webo—————–
—Emana——–Enoh———Geremi——–Song–
–Assou-Ekotto—-Bassong—N'Kolou—–Mbia—-
———————–Hamidou————————
FYI, game commentary was provided by Franco Panizo.
I agree with Erik, I’m not sure how anyone can say that the US/Slovenia game wasn’t the most exciting game so far, but at the same time you certainly have the right to your top 3 list.
Have to disagree – USA yesterday was the best I’ve seen. Today’s game was great too though.
Wow, this was an amazing game. I would definately say out of all the games I have watched (2/3’s of the games), this one was BY FAR the best and most exciting. Terrible defense by both teams, lots of shots, end-to-end action, fingertip saves, tons of mistakes, and drama. I think ive’s “WOW”‘s sums it up.
Other 2 most exciting games I have seen:
2. Urugruay vs. South Africa
3. Swiss vs. Spain
Where are the soccer pundits now? That’s two African teams down… home “continent” means nothing.
Japan-Denmark should be something else.
Group E:
1- Holland: 6 points (goals: 3-0)
2- Japan: 3 (1-1)
3- Denmark: 3 (2-3)
4- Cameroon: 0 (1-3)
Next games:
Japan vs. Denmark
Holland vs. Cameroon
Holland is in, Cameroon is out
Japan need a tie or a win to qualify while Denamrk need a win.
Also, the netherlands became the first team to be assured of a place in the knock out round
In 15 minutes, the first team to be eleminated could be Cameroon, which is the highest ranked African team in this cup. The team that most observers thought will go a long way. What a story!
After end-to-end action, Rommedahl with a clinical finish and the Danes take a 2-1 lead in the 61′
I wonder if the commentator was threatened at half time… he just completely 180’d in a 30 minute span…
I think that Denmark’s defense is worse than the US defense!
South Africa accounts for half of that.
African nations have an overall goal differential of -6.
but you said all African teams play bad defense. Ivory coast, do they play bad defense?
Ghana has been scored on as well.
I can see the coaches going crazy in the locker rooms and we will have an emphysis on defense in the second half. boring second half? hope not
Parking the bus makes you good defensively?
And Australia with 10 men? Haha.
Sorry Ghana have let in one.
But Algeria is. And Ghana haven’t let in a goal so far.
Great, the Danes aren’t African. I’m sure you knew that though, because you seem to be such an intelligent person.
Your response to my comment is that someone else does it as well, not at all related to my comment.
-1 Well it is a generalization. And Algeria played pretty good defense yesterday. And the Danes have looked far worse in defense for this game.
African teams have terrible defense. They play defense like the Celtics, hack and pull. And no, I don’t think that is a generalization.
This game is crazy!
So far, the best game of the tournament
Eto’o first goal is just how I like it. Low and Hard!!! lol!
Cameroon goalkeeper caught in no-man’s land on that goal. Nice finish by Bendtner though.
Nice sequence by the Danes and it’s all tied up at 1-1 in the 33′ off Bendtner tapping home a cross from Rommedahl
Nope, the ABC televised games are not on ESPN3. They are only on ABC and “MOBILETV”
Is this not playing on ESPN3?
There are more chances in the first 20 minutes of this game than in many other 3-game match days this WC
Eto’o in the 10′
What a howler by the Danish defense. Made me think of the Danish back pass in the ’86 cup versus Spain. This one wasn’t nearly as bad but…
A horrible defending by Denamrk
But, good for Eto’o. Look the amount of emotion he let out after scoring. Too much pressure on him, I guess.