Japan caused a minor upset as they started their World Cup Group E campaign with a 1-0 victory over Cameroon in Bloemfontein, with Keisuke Honda netting the only goal of the game.
- Japan 1-0 Cameroon : As it happened
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The Indomitable Lions failed to qualify four years ago and crashed out of the three previous finals at the group stages, while the Samurai Blue went out in the group stages four years ago, having reached the last 16 as co-hosts in 2002.
The early stages of the game saw little action near either penalty area, with both sides seemingly nervous and unwilling to go in search of an opening goal.
As the half wore on Makoto Hasebe and Daisuke Matsui started to combine well down the right flank for Japan, but were unable to find a way to trouble Cameroon keeper Hamidou Souleymanou.
It took until seven minutes before the interval for the first shot on target to arrive, as Eiji Kawashima gathered a tame, low drive from Enoh Eyong.
Almost immediately Japan broke the deadlock as a deep Matsui cross from the right went over a couple of defenders and Honda collected at the far post and coolly slotted a left-foot shot past Souleymanou.
The second half got off to a lively start, with Samuel Eto'o showing his class by bursting clear down the right before finding Eric Choupo-Moting, whose shot drifted narrowly wide of the far post.
However, that proved to be a false dawn as Cameroon then failed to exert any pressure against a solid Japanese defence.
Lions coach Paul Le Guen brought on all three substitutes to try and shake things up, but seven minutes from time Japan almost scored a clinching second goal as Hasebe's drive from distance was parried by Souleymanou and Shinji Okazaki blasted the rebound against the post.
Cameroon then came within inches of an undeserved equaliser as Stephane M'Bia lashed a 35-yard drive against the woodwork, with Kawashima nowhere to be seen.
Le Guen's men continued to put on the pressure right up to the final whistle, but were unable to deny Japan a potentially important victory.
Source: DSG
