Japan 1 Cameroon 0

CSKA midfield player Keisuke Honda (FIFA Man of the Match) scored the only goal after 39 minutes, giving Japan the three points it needed to sit on top of Group E alongside Holland, 2-0 winners over Denmark.

Both teams had tried to probe openings in their opponents’ defences, when on 39’, Daisuke Matsui found Honda with a cross that sailed over the Cameroon defence. Honda was waiting on the right, controlled the cross and shot hard past Souleymanou. 1-0.

Before then Eto’o, Webo and Choupo Moting had created flashes of brilliance and after the interval, the same names started to create more chances for the West African team, culminating in Mbia’s shot against the post. Japan held on and meet Holland on June 19.

Line-ups

Japan: Kawashima, Abe, Komano, Tulio, Nagatomo, Endo, Matsui (Ozakzi), Okubo (Yan), Hasebe (Inamoto), Honda, Nakazawa

Cameroon: Souleymanou, Assou Ekotto, Nkoulou, Bassong, Eto’o, Makoun (Geremi), Choupo-Moting (Idrissou), Webo, Eyong, Mbra, Matip(Emana)