Chances aplenty as Cameroon, Denmark remain level

Strikers Samuel Eto’o and Nicklas Bendtner proved their worth to Cameroon and Denmark respectively as they scored the goals that put the sides level 1-1 at the break in their World Cup Group E match on Saturday.

On seven minutes Dennis Rommedahl had a great chance to open the scoring for Denmark as Christian Poulsen played him in behind the defence, despite a hint of offside, but the Ajax flyer blazed his shot from an angle high and wide.

Three minutes later, though, Poulsen shot his own side in the foot as he played a blind pass that Pierre Webo intercepted before crossing for Eto’o, restored to a central striking role, to blast home low into the corner.

Moments later Achilles Emana hit a low strike just past the post for the fired-up Indomitable Lions.

Former Chelsea winger Jesper Gronkjaer then had a pair of chances in quick succession for the Danes but his curler from distance was deflected behind and then he fluffed a far-post header from the resulting corner.

Denmark were starting to exert control and Cameroon goalkeeper Hamidou Souleymanou had to be alert to dash out and block at the feet of Jon Dahl Tomasson.

And they got the equaliser they deserved on 33 minutes as Rommedahl got behind Benoit Assou-Ekotto to latch onto Daniel Agger’s long crossfield ball before crossing for Bendtner to slide home.

In a thrilling end to the half Alexandre Song made a goal-saving block to deny Tomasson before Eto’o clattered the post and Emana burst through only to chip into Thomas Sorensen’s hands.