DUNAS — Mexico’s Oribe Peralta ensured justice was done just as the start of the Brazilian World Cup was about to be hit by yet another refereeing scandal yesterday.
Daily Mail
Colombian referee Wilmar Roldan risked anarchy inside Natal’s Estadio das Dunas after wrongly ruling out two legitimate Mexican goals for offside in the first half, both scored by ex-Tottenham forward Giovani dos Santos.
So he — and Fifa — would have been mightily relieved when Mexico’s domination was eventually rewarded after an hour when Cameroon goalkeeper Charles Itandje pushed out a shot by Dos Santos into the path of Peralta, who slotted home the rebound.
The result leaves Mexico favourites to qualify from Group A alongside Brazil, whom they face on Tuesday in Fortaleza. But the performances of officials will be under the microscope with the blunders of Roldan and his assistants following on from the opening game when Brazil were wrongly awarded a penalty at 1-1 against Croatia when Fred dived under a challenge by Dejan Lovren.
If anything, yesterday’s decisions were worse.
Dos Santos was denied his first goal even though he was level with the last Cameroon defender and he was later ruled offside when the ball had gone to him via the head of opponent Eric Choupo-Moting.
Before kick-off, nearly 20 000 Mexican fans provided a party atmosphere in Natal despite pouring rain.
- Chamisa under fire over US$120K donation
- Mavhunga puts DeMbare into Chibuku quarterfinals
- Pension funds bet on Cabora Bassa oilfields
- Councils defy govt fire tender directive
Keep Reading
They were probably relieved to see opponents Cameroon simply turn up after the Africans had arrived in Brazil 24 hours late because of a dispute over bonus payments.
Mexico manager Miguel Herrera, who optimistically believes his side can win the World Cup, controversially left out Javier Hernandez due to the Manchester United striker’s run of nine games without a goal for his country.
It didn’t take long for the Central Americans to realise luck — and officialdom — would be against them.
With Cameroon on the back foot, Hector Herrera roared forward after 11 minutes and played in a perfect cross for Dos Santos to volley in.
As the green shirts celebrated however, Roldan ruled the goal out for offside on the advice of his assistant, even though TV replays showed the former Spurs man had been level with two Cameroon defenders.
Undeterred, Mexico dominated the rest of the first half, but Samuel Eto’o hit the outside of the post with Cameroon’s only dangerous attack.
At the other end though, there was plenty of last-ditch defending needed from the Africans, who have only won World Cup tie since their thrilling run with Roger Milla at Italia 90.
Rafa Marquez and Hector Moreno got in each other’s way when they were both left unmarked six yards from goal, Marquez heading wide as they both went for the same ball.
And Mexican outrage was complete after 29 minutes when Cameroon defender Choupo-Moting was somehow identified as a Mexico player after he clearly flicked on a corner by mistake to Dos Santos, who volleyed in.
The officials again disallowed the goal for offside, leaving Miguel Herrera to roar his displeasure at fourth official Norbert Hauata with arms outstretched.
Following the game-changing blunder that gave Brazil a winning start in Sao Paulo on Thursday, further refereeing cock-ups were the last thing that Fifa needed.
But at least Mexico — by far the superior team against an appalling Cameroon side — kept going to ensure they would get the win regardless of the poor decisions.
Again, Dos Santos was heavily involved in the breakthrough goal after an hour.
The Villarreal player struck with his left foot and though former Liverpool goalkeeper Itandje showed great reactions to save, Peralta was positioned exactly where a fox-in-the-box should be.
The best-paid player in Mexican League history with America kept calm to slot home the rebound from eight yards and trigger huge celebrations among the majority of supporters in the stadium. Peralta, who scored both goals for Mexico when they beat Brazil to win gold at the 2012 London Olympics, was picked ahead of Hernandez for exactly that type of penalty-area finishing.
The United man had to be content with a late appearance from the bench, but as bare-chested Mexican supporters celebrated in the incessant downpour, there will be a major inquest in the Cameroon ranks.
They were abysmal, as if money disputes had affected morale. Their only genuine sights of goal in the second half came when Spurs defender Benoit Assou-Ekotto saw his deflected shot flash narrowly wide and Benjamin Moukandjo failed to convert a header in injury-time, but that going in would have been the greatest injustice of all.
Peralta, who scored both goals for Mexico when they beat Brazil to win gold at the 2012 London Olympics, was picked ahead of Hernandez for exactly that type of penalty-area finishing.
The United man had to be content with a late came off the bench but as bare-chested Mexican supporters celebrated in the incessant downpour, there will be a major inquest in the Cameroon ranks.
They were abysmal as if money disputes had affected morale.
Their only genuine sights of goal in the second half came when Spurs defender Benoit Assou-Ekotto saw his deflected shot flash narrowly wide and Benjamin Moukandjo failed to convert a header in injury-time, but that going in would have been the greatest injustice of all.
