体坛英语新闻：World Cup Group E: Denmark vs Cameroon 2-1

PRETORIA, South Africa, June 19 (Xinhua) -- The Indomitable Lions Cameroon were sent home following a 2-1 defeat to Denmak in a World Cup Group E match here on Saturday.

Cameroon's loss meant they became the first team to exit the World Cup and the Netherlands, with six points to their credit, the first to make the last 16.

Both Cameroon and Denmark opened up their campaign at the tournament with a loss respectively to Japan and the Netherlands, and the second group match assumed a must-win to keep their hopes of making the last 16 alive.

In their two previous meetings, both friendly matches, the two teams each had one win.

Six minutes into the game, Cameroon's Samuel Eto'o fired a right footed shot wide.

The Inter Milan forward voiced before the match he would give it all in the match and he did so. At the 10th minute, Eto'o blazed past the Danish keeper Thomas Sorensen, scoring the first goal for Cameroon in the World Cup.

Thus Eto'o ended an eight year-drought after scoring his first World Cup goal in 2002.

However, Denmark leveled the score at the 33rd minute when Nicklas Bendtner powered home a right footer.

At the 61st minute, Denmark notched up the upper hand as Dennis Rommedahl beat Cameroon's midfielder Jean Makoun to slot home a left-foot shot.

With one goal down, Cameroon tried to even the score by taking more ball possession. At the 65th minute, one of Cameroon's chances was denied when Webo's header went wide.

At the 81st minute, Mohamadou Idrissou's header from close range missed the target. Cameroon was on the brink of exit.

Cameroon's last chance came at the 89th minute but a corner kick came to nothing, and they were knocked out of the World Cup after two losses and this was also Denmark's first match to come from behind in the World Cup.

Thus Denmark continued their unbeaten record against African teams in the World Cup, previously having drawn with Senegal and South Africa, and beaten Nigeria.

"It is a great disappointment as we had a lot of chances. This shows that we are not effective enough," said disappointed Cameroon's head coach Paul Le Guen. "We had a lot of strikes, we struck the post, the straight bar, but we have given our best. We will certainly return with regret, but I will not resign."