Japan drive past Cameroon on Honda power

Honda's winner helps Japan to first win at the World Cup on foreign soil, and puts the Japanese at the top of Group E along with the Netherlands.

Japan's Keisuke Honda, front centre, celebrates his goal with teammates.

Keisuke Honda scored in the first half to lead Japan to a 1-0 win over an uninspiring display from Cameroon in Group E of the World Cup. The win is Japan's first at the World Cup on foreign soil, and puts the Japanese at the top of Group E along with the Netherlands, which beat Denmark 2-0 earlier.

After a sloppy opening 30 minutes at the Free State Stadium, Japan broke the deadlock in the 39th when Daisuke Matsui's curling cross from the right drifted over Cameroon defenders Nicolas Nkoulou and Stephane Mbia and fell to Honda at the back post. The striker promptly slotted it past goalkeeper Hamidou Souleymanou.

Despite an attack led by Samuel Eto'o, Cameroon never really challenged Japan keeper Eiji Kawashima. The Africans struggled to control the ball and generate any rhythm up front, and even when they managed to put a few passes together, the buildup was usually wasted by poor crosses.

Cameroon's first shot on goal came in the 37th minute, when Eric Choupo-Moting dropped the ball at the top of the box for Eyong Enoh, but Kawashima easily handled the midfielder's low drive. Japan's stiff defence frustrated Cameroon and kept Eto'o in check. Cameroon looked lost in the midfield, and clearly missed the creativity of Arsenal midfielder Alex Song, who coach Paul Le Guen opted to keep on the bench.

Eto'o tried to played a more active role in the second half. Just after the break, the Inter Milan striker deftly skipped through three defenders near the touch line before drawing the ball back for Choupo-Moting. But Coupo-Moting's right-footed shot drifted past the left post. Le Guen brought on two strikers – Achille Emana and Mohamadou Idrissou – midway into the second half, but to little effect.

Cameroon only began to push forward in search of an equaliser in the closing minutes, and they nearly got it in the 87th when defender Stephane Mbia's powerful left-footed drive struck the crossbar. The Japanese win comes eight years to the day since its last victory at the World Cup, when it beat Tunisia 2-0 in Osaka. Japan also beat Russia at the 2002 World Cup.

Man of the match: Keisuke Honda (Japan)

Paul Le Guen, the Cameroon coach, blamed his side's attitude for their surprise loss to Japan in their Group E clash yesterday. Le Guen had opted for an adventurous 4-3-3 formation but his side struggled to create chances and could not break down a resolute Japan defence in the second half as they chased an equaliser.

Le Guen said: "Of course I am upset that we have lost the game but our attitude was wrong. We were tense and nervous, especially in the first half. We did not show what we are capable of. We were not at our level and kept losing possession." Japan's goal came as the result of poor defending when Cameroon failed to cut out a cross from Daisuke Matsui.

Le Guen added: "My players were wrongly positioned." Japan had been unimpressive in their pre-tournament friendlies, failing to win any, but Honda said that had only motivated he and his teammates to do better.

"As a team we had very little good luck in our warm-up games going into this match," Honda said. "But as a team we were thinking: 'Don't be down. Be positive. Go for it."'

* Agency