REPUBLIC OF IRELAND 1 CAMEROON 1 by JacquesTheLad

In turmoil after captain Roy Keane abandoned the squad during the week, there could have been no country more eager to kick off their World Cup campaign than the Republic of Ireland. The stadium was a sea of green as tens of thousands of Irish fans crowded into the stadium, easily outnumbering their equally colourful African counterparts. With Cameroon having won the African Nations Cup, and being reigning Olympic champions, few gave Ireland a hope.

The game started pretty evenly, with both sides containing each other. Cameroon created the first main chance, with Samuel Eto'o playing a neat one-two with Patrick Mboma and breaking through one-on-one on Shay Given. The touch was heavy however, and Given rushed out bravely to pull off a great save. Their intentions were made clear however. Ireland's best chance of the first half came from a corner. Jason McAteer played the ball short to Ian Harte, who swung the ball over. Robbie Keane got between the two huge Cameroon defenders before heading wide.

Cameroon started to take hold of the game towards the half-hour mark, and enjoyed a good spell of possession. The deadlock was broken in 39 minutes, as Eto'o skipped past Steve Staunton on the bye-line, before cutting the ball back to Mboma. With Given committed, Mboma put the ball into an empty net to put the Africans ahead. It was a bitter blow to the Irish, who went in at the break a goal down.

As the second half started, the game immediately upped the pace. A defensive mix-up between Harte and Given gave Geremi a great chance, but he put the ball agonisingly past the far post. It was to prove to be costly, as 60 seconds later Kevin Kilbane swung in a poor cross. Rigobert Song half-cleared, and the ball dropped kindly for Matt Holland 25 yards from goal. The Ipswich Town star struck the ball sweetly on his stride, and placed the ball in the bottom corner of the net. It was the spark Ireland needed, and set the tone for a brilliant second half.

Ireland dominated the play, with Robbie Keane and Damien Duff working tirelessly up front, causing the Cameroon defenders a nightmare. Samuel Eto'o broke clear, but was tracked by Irish defender Breen, and scuffed his shot wide. With ten minutes to go, Duff put the ball in the centre, and with the clearance going as far as Robbie Keane, the Leeds United striker took one touch to control, and then bent the ball with power. The keeper stranded, the Irish could only watch in vain as the ball crashed off the post. It was a winner which they deserved to have, but weren't to get.

In the dying minutes, substitute Reid struck a ferocious free-kick through the wall, but Cameroon goalkeeper Alioum tipped the ball over the bar. As the Japanese referee, who had a really good game, blew for full-time, Ireland had got a point which they would have wanted before kick-off, and yet would have been desperately disappointed not to take all three points. It was a spirited performance, and now it's all down to Germany and Saudi Arabia who play later tonight to capitalise. It sets the group up superbly for an exciting scramble for the two available qualifying places.

Roy who?