Indomitable
Cameroon wins gold in penalty shootout over Spain
Latest: Saturday September 30, 2000 12:53 AM
SYDNEY, Australia (AP) -- Africa kept the Olympic men's soccer title
after
another heart-stopping finale to the tournament on Saturday, Cameroon
outshooting Spain 5-3 in a penalty shootout after the two teams had
tied 2-2
in the gold medal match.
Pierre Wome struck home 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.
After Spain had survived with nine men for the 30 minutes of extra time
following the expulsions of two players during the first 90, the game
went
to the first shootout in Olympic finals history.
Spanish defender Ivan Amaya, who also scored an own goal, fired his
penalty
against the crossbar for the only miss with the Nigerians leading 3-2.
Lauren made it 4-2 and, although David Albeda 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.
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 soccer championship that had plenty
of
thrills and good soccer. The women's title was won on a golden goal as
Norway edged defending champion United States 3-2 at Sydney Football
Stadium
on Thursday.
Spain, who downed Italy and the United States to reach the final, raced
into
a second minute lead through Xavi, Angulo missed a fourth-minute
penalty but
Gabri made it 2-0 just before the break.
Cameroon hit back through an own goal by Amaya in the 53rd and a
strike by
Samuel Eto'o five minutes later and Spain was reduced to nine men after
the
ejections of Gabri and AC Milan's Jose Mari.
The final was only 75 seconds old when Barcelona midfielder Xavi fired
the
Spaniards ahead from a free kick just outside the area after a foul by
Patrice Banda on Raul Tamudo.
It should have been 2-0 in the fifth minute when Aaron Nguimbat, back
from
suspension, was harshly judged to have tripped Jose Mari. But the
penalty by
Angulo was saved by Cameroon's 16-year-old goalkeeper, Carlos Kameni.
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.
They controlled most of the possession while wasting the shooting
chances
they created with the Spaniards content to sit on their lead.
Patrick Mboma, who plays for Italian club Parma, headed a free kick
wide but
squandered a great chance when Eto'o dribbled through and rolled the
ball
into space inside the area. Mboma seemed to be unsure whether o shoot
or
pass effectively and did neither.
Having soaked up the pressure, Spain broke out to snatch a second goal
in
first half injury time.
Substitute Gabri, another Barcelona star who entered the game for the
injured Toni Velazaman after 26 minutes, collected a header from deep
and
raced clear of the Cameroon defense to shoot past the exposed Kameni.
Cameroon wasted no time in trying to cut the Spanish lead, and within
20
seconds of the restart, Serge Branco fired a 25-meter shot that 'keeper
Daniel Aranzubia tipped over the bar with an acrobatic save.
But the Lions needed a huge slice of luck when they pulled a goal back
in
the 53rd minute.
Eto'o played Mboma through the middle and the striker's attempted shot
appeared to be going wide when it struck Spanish defender Amaya in the
face
and rebounded past his own 'keeper.
There was nothing fortunate about the second goal five minutes later.
Mboma
collected a through ball down the right wing, spotted Eto'o in support
in
the middle and found his colleague with the pass. Eto'o controlled it
first
time and rolled the ball past the exposed Aranzubia for the equalizer.
The Spaniards were reduced to 10 men when Gabri, already shown a yellow
card
in the first half, was expelled for another in the 70th minute for an
ugly
challenge on Nicolas Alnoudji.
Seconds later Cameroon should have gone ahead when Arsenal's Lauren
chased a
through ball down the right and crossed to the unmarked Eto'o who
stabbed
the ball the wrong side of the post with just the 'keeper to beat.
Jose Mari became the second Spaniard to be ejected when he was shown a
second yellow card in the final minute for a dive.
Nine-man Spain almost snatched the golden goal in the opening minute of
extra time when it was awarded a free kick 25 meter out and Capdevila
struck
the outside of the post with Kameni beaten.
But Aranzubia then made a stunning reflex action save to keep out a
volley
from Branco.
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 called for offside.
In the shootout, Mboma, Eto'o, Geremi, Lauren and Wome scored for
Cameroon,
Xavi, Capdevila and Albelda for Spain.
Lineups:
Spain -- Daniel Aranzubia; Jesus La Cruz, Carlos Marchena, Carlos
Puyol,
Ivan Amaya, David Albelda, Xavier 'Xavi' Hernandez, Toni Velamazan
(sub:
Gabriel 'Gabri', 26th), Miguel Angulo (Capdevila, 74th), Jose Mari
Romero,
Raul Tamudo (Ferron, 48th)
Cameroon -- Carlos Kameni; Patrice Abanda, Aaron Nguimbat (Daniel Ngom
Kome,
46th), Serge Branco (Joel Epalle, 91st), Serge Mimpo; Nicolas Alnoudji
(Albert Meyong, 110th), Geremi, Lauren, Pierre Wome; Samuel Eto'o,
Patrick
Mboma.
Referee -- Felipe Ramos Rizo, Mexico.
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