Mexico edge Cameroon 1-0 in close Group A encounter

Arne Richter, dpa

Mexico had what appeared to be two perfectly good first half goals disallowed for offside before the striker managed to break the deadlock in the Group A encounter played in incessant rain.

The 1-0 victory leaves Mexico in second place in the group, level on points with leaders Brazil, whose win over Croatia on Thursday was overshadowed by a hotly disputed penalty awarded in their favour.

Mexico enjoyed most of the play, but Cameroon were always dangerous on the break, only to see their chances wasted by poor finishing.

Both teams went into the match knowing a win would aid their chances of advancing to the last 16. Mexico seized the initiative in the early stages, peppering Charles-Hubert Itandje's goal with a range of shots.

Coach Miguel Herrera left out Manchester United striker Javier Hernandez from the starting line-up, preferring Giovani Dos Santos to partner Oribe Peralta in attack. The decision paid off.

Dos Santos paired up with Peralta to score the winning goal after Mexico saw their chances appear to fade after the disallowed goals.

"They stole two goals from us. I don't know why. But we didn't let ourselves be intimidated and now we have three points to take with us into the next game," Herrera said.

The first disallowed goal was on 11 minutes when dos Santos volleyed the ball into the net only to see Colombian referee Wilmar Roldan adjudge the Spain-based striker to be marginally offside.

Television replays showed that this was not the case.

Cameroon recovered from the initial onslaught and gradually came into the game before having a goal of their own disallowed when the linesman flagged Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting for offside.

Minutes later the Indomitable Lions should have gone ahead, but veteran striker Samuel Eto'o smashed the ball wide from close range after a perfect cross from Benoit Assou-Ekotto.

Mexico found themselves pinned back, but broke free, only to have a second goal disallowed, with dos Santos again the victim.

The striker headed home a ball flicked on by Cameroon's Chuopo-Moting at a corner. A roar went up from the crowd, but was quickly silenced when the linesman raised his flag, apparently for offside.

Dos Santos was a constant threat to the Cameroon defence, but the heavy pitch and rainy conditions occasionally made it difficult for him to control the ball properly in front of goal.

He put Peralta through shortly after the break, but the attacker fired directly at keeper Itandje.

Mexico's Hector Moreno picked up the first yellow card of the game when he brought down Stephane Mbia just outside the area. Assou-Ekotto's free kick was deflected by a Mexican defender past the post.

Mexico finally broke the deadlock on the hour through Peralta. The striker seized on the ball and slotted it home from close range after Itandje parried a shot from dos Santos.

The goal breathed new life into Mexico, who brought on Hernandez as a late substitute for the goalscorer. The new striker fed Marco Fabian in the area but defender Dany Nounkeu was able to clear at the last moment.

Hernandez slammed the ball over the bar in the dying minutes and Benjamin Moukandjo nearly grabbed an equalizer before Roldan blew for time.