Saturday, September 30, 2000
Football News Online

Golden goal for Cameroon

Cameroon football team show off their gold medals after the men's final. Picture: Sergio Perez/Reuter

Africa kept the Olympic men’s football title after another heart-stopping final. Cameroon beat Spain 5-3 on penalties after the two teams drew 2-2 in the gold medal match.

Pierre Wome struck the clinching spot kick to start the celebrations before 98,212 at Stadium Australia as the Indomitable Lions followed the Super Eagles of Nigeria on the Olympic roll of honor and also won their nation’s first ever gold medal.

Pierre Wome scores the winning penalty in the shoot-out. Picture: Lionel Cironneau/AP

"To win the Olympic gold medal is absolutely wonderful," said Cameroon coach Jean-Paul Akono said after his team’s triumph. "We have won the African Nations Cup three times but this is an excellent result. I think this a motivational development not just for Cameroon but for African soccer. I don’t think we are very far from a World Cup in a few years from now. African countries need more organization and more seriousness in their approach so that Africa can one day win the World Cup."

Spain were forced to survive with nine men for the 30 minutes of extra time after they had two players sent off in the first ninety minutes.

It was the first penalty shoot-out in Olympic final history. Spanish defender Ivan Amaya, who also scored an own goal, fired his penalty against the crossbar for the only miss with Cameroon leading 3-2. Lauren made it 4-2 and, although David Albelda hit the target for the Spaniards, Wome drove home the fifth and the entire Cameroon bench ran onto the field to join their celebrating players.

"It was very difficult to watch the shootout. It would have been better to have scored the decisive goal before. But we had been faced by an excellent Spain defence and we didn’t use all the opportunities that we had," Akono said.

"There was a great responsibility for the penalty shootout but we had prepared for that and our players were very skilled at it. But there was also a lot of luck involved."

The result meant Africa keeps the Olympic title after Nigeria’s historic victory at Atlanta in 1996 as the Indomitable Lions hit back from 2-0 down at half time and also saved an early penalty.

The game was a dramatic finale to a championship that had plenty of thrills and some excellent football. Chile won the bronze medal by beating the United States 2-0 on Friday with 33-year-old Inter Milan striker Ivan Zamorano hitting both goals to finish two clear of any other player in the scorers’ list with six.

The women’s title was won on a golden goal as Norway edged out defending champion United States 3-2 at Sydney Football Stadium on Thursday.

Spain, who beat Italy and the United States to reach the final, raced into a 75-second lead through Xavi. Angulo missed a fourth-minute penalty but Gabri made it 2-0 just before the break.

"We started very well," said coach Inaki Saez Ruiz. "But Cameroon were strong, they were always dangerous. We lost two players in the second half through injuries and I don’t think the expulsions were fair. In my opinion in the final of the Olympic Games you should not be as strict as the referee was but we have to accept it."

Far from panicking at the initial Spanish onslaught, the Indomitable Lions, roared on by chants of "Cameroon, Cameroon" from the neutral Australians in the huge crowd, took the game to the Spaniards.

Cameroon hit back through an own goal by defender Ivan Amaya who deflected in a shot from Patrick Mboma in the 53rd minute. Samuel Eto’o hit the equalizer five minutes later and Spain was reduced to nine men after the sendings-off of Gabri, for a reckless challenge, and AC Milan’s Jose Mari, for diving.

Nine-man Spain almost snatched the golden goal in the opening minute of extra time when Capdevila struck the outside of the post from a free kick with Kameni beaten and Eto’o thought he’d won the game for Cameroon with seconds to go of extra time when he got clear to shoot home but was ruled out for offside.

In the shootout, Mboma, Eto’o, Geremi, Lauren and Wome scored for Cameroon, Xavi, Capdevila and Albelda for Spain.

PETER WATTS
Sunday Times