Betting odds Cameroon

 Manager: Paul Le Guen
Captain: Samuel Eto’o
FIFA World Ranking: 19
World Cup Appearances: 6
Best World Cup: Quarter-Finals – 1990

Cameroon Team Profile 

Cameroon are one of the more recognisable Africa nations, this because of their six previous appearances in the finals of a World Cup, while no other African nation has gone further than Cameroon’s best of the quarter-final stage back in 1990. They are the highest ranked African nation going to the World Cup, and because they’ve appeared in the finals on more occasions than any other African nation, they’ll head to South Africa with the boldest pedigree of all the African teams competing.

You don’t often associate Cameroon with big names but in their history they’ve had two who have stood out amongst the crowd of Cameroon wannabe stars, and they are Roger Milla, arguably the greatest Cameroon player ever, and Samuel Eto’o, who has been the idol of a football mad nation for quite some time. Eto is instantly recognisable not only because of his vast European experience and accolades earned from his time at Barcelona and Inter Milan, but also because of his bubbly attitude. Eto, because of his vast amount of experience and football knowledge, now captains Cameroon at international level and the pressure upon his shoulders to guide Cameroon past the group stages for the first time since 1990 will be immense, while Cameroon’s record of one win in their last nine World Cup fixtures needs improving in South Africa.

Nicknames: Les Lions Indomables (The Indomitable Lions)

Manager

Paul Le Guen has enjoyed a mixed bag of fortunes during his managerial career, with his spell at Lyon his best to date. His manager C.V. consists of stints at Lyon, Rangers, Rennes and more recently, Paris Saint Germain. However, his last spell at a French club, PSG, didn’t go accordingly with PSG spending vast amounts of the season near or in the relegation zone. Le Guen did eventually guide PSG away from the dreaded drop but received the sack as a result of a terribly poor season. PSG are now performing very well in Ligue 1 so perhaps his style wasn’t favoured by the players.

This is Paul Le Guen‘s first spell at International level, though, and although he has met the expectations and demands at the Cameroon helm, there were stages where Cameroon’s arrival in the World Cup was on the rocks. Nevertheless, Cameroon did qualify and now Paul le Guen can look forward and prepare for his first ever World Cup as a manager, after he failed to make any previous final as a player for France.

Although Paul Le Guen has been fairly successful as a manager, all of his success has come in the French leagues, so there will be reservations over his credentials to guide Cameroon to international success on the big stage. He has won the French Ligue 1 three times with Lyon, while he won the French cup on three occasions, also. Winning the World Cup with Cameroon would eclipse all those successes by some distance but that looks very unlikely.

Cameroon Key Players

Samuel Eto’o

There has to be no doubt as to who Cameroon’s best player is right now. The Inter Milan ace will be pivotal in how Cameroon fair in this summers showcase event as not only does he lead by example on the pitch, others look up to him off it, also. He has enjoyed a wealth of success at club level and his knowledge of the game is one of the many reasons why he captains Cameroon.

During qualifying, Eto almost single handily dragged Cameroon into the finals, scoring eight goals, five more than anyone else in the Cameroon set up. His sheer pace on and off the ball will scare the living daylights out of most defenders and keep even the smartest of defenders on their toes. His vision and awareness in the penalty area has made him one of the most feared strikers on the planet and, although the rest of the squad can’t get anywhere near Eto’s level, as long as they create half-a-chance for the Inter forward, chances are he will take it and he could be the pinnacle of an otherwise ordinary Cameroon team. 

Strengths

Most African sides boast pace as their strongest asset and Cameroon are no exception. We all know about Samuel Eto’o, but Pierro Webo & Achille Emana also boast speed in abundance, while Lyon’s Jean Makoun provides a safety netting over the Cameroon defence. The Cameroon squad does actually pack a lot of big club experience so the players, although some won’t be too familiar with a World Cup atmosphere, shouldn’t be too shy and reserved on the big stage. In fact, Le Guen opted to use just one home based player during Cameroon’s qualifying bid – Haman Sadjo being the only exception to a European based rule it would seem.

Weaknesses

Although most of the entire squad plies their trade in Europe, not too many actually play for big teams so it’s hard to consider that they will have the required level to go far this summer. They have the raw materials for a successful campaign; speed, strength and an unquestionable thirst for success – but consistency will be a big issue for most and they’ll need their A-game in all of their World Cup fixtures in order to please the millions of Cameroon fans back home. Anything short of 100% and it won’t be enough for Cameroon as their team just isn’t strong enough to drop off.

Cameroon Qualification for the World Cup

Sector: Africa
Group: A
Position: 1st
Win-Draw-Lose: 6-1-1
Goals Scored: 9
Goals Conceded: 2

Cameroon Qualifying statistics:

• Cameroon were one of two nations to qualify on the very last set of fixtures, beating Morocco 2-0 to book their spot in the finals.
• Samuel Eto’o was back to his prolific self when in a Cameroon shirt, netting no less than eight goals during qualifying, the second best tally in the African continent.
• Cameroon actually had the best defensive record throughout the lengthy qualifying period, conceding just four goals in 12 fixtures.
• Kameni, the goalkeeper, Jean Makoun & veteran Rigobert Song, were the only three players to partake in every qualifier in the group stage of qualifying. 

World Cup Potential: 2/5

Cameroon could be a nuisance at this summers show-piece but it’s hard to envisage Paul Le Guen’s outfit actually delving deep into South Africa’s inaugural World Cup. They do boast a handful of players that will be dangerous and lively characters, but consistency will undoubtedly be an issue. Samuel Eto’o will capture the heart of the nation as his pace and trickery in the final third will keep the fans back home not only excited but also in hope that their captain could inspire the team to great success. However, they will do well to escape what is a competitive Group E against the likes of Holland, Japan and Denmark.

Cameroon World Cup Betting Odds

Cameroon to win the World Cup: 450/1 – bWin 

Before the World Cup the odds on Cameroon were 125/1 

Official Cameroon World Cup Squad

Goalkeepers

Hamidou Souleymanou (Kayserispor)

Idriss Carlos Kameni (Espanyol Barcelona)

Guy Roland Ndy Assembe (Valenciennes)

Defenders

Benoit Assou-Ekotto (Tottenham Hotspur)

Sebastien Bassong (Tottenham Hotspur)

Gaetan Bong (FC Valenciennes)

Aurelien Chedjou (OSC Lille)

Geremi Njitap (Ankaragücü)

Stephane Mbia (Olympique Marseille)

Nicolas Nkoulou (AS Monaco)

Rigobert Song (Trabzonspor)

Midfielders

Achille Emana (Betis Seville)

Enoh Eyong Tarkang (Ajax Amsterdam)

Jean II Makoun (Olympique Lyon)

Georges Mandjeck (1. FC Kaiserslautern)

Joel Matip (FC Schalke 04)

Landry Nguemo (Celtic Glasgow)

Alexandre Song (Arsenal)

Strikers

Vincent Aboubakar (Coton Sport de Garoua)

Eric Choupo-Moting (Nuremberg)

Samuel Eto’o (Inter Milan)

Mohamadou Idrissou (SC Freiburg)

Pierre Webo (RCD Mallorca)

last update: 18 June 2010

World Cup 2010 Cameroon Fixtures – Group E

World Cup 2010 Group E - Table

World Cup Fixtures and Results

Cameroon falling short in World Cup Betting and Performance

African side Cameroon have their backs against the wall now, after falling to a 1-0 defeat against Asian competitors, Japan. Even though the African nation started the match as favourites, there was always an air of doubt as to whether they could really compete. Why? Well Cameroon of 2010 are not of the same calibre as the Cameroon sides you may have seen at past World Cup’s. In fact, they have only won one match out of their last ten outings, and are finding goals pretty hard to come by. The latest disaster against Japan, who really weren’t fancied at the start of the tournament, now puts the African nation in danger of going out at the very first hurdle. The defeat for Cameroon has been just a small part of a wake up call for African football. After studying the quality that was displayed at the African Cup of Nations earlier in the year, the expectations for the home continent nations, really did not look all that promising. Only Ghana picked up a first round win, and with host South Africa taking a beating from Uruguay, Ivory Coast failing to beat Portugal, Algeria losing to Slovenia and Cameroon losing to Japan, it has not been an impressive performance from Africa so far. Another defeat for Cameroon would send them spiralling out of the competition, with the weight of another huge disappointment hanging over their heads. Coach Paul Le Guen would have watched his side be very wasteful with possession against Japan, and lacking the quality which would give even him any hope of progressing to the second round. The Indomitable Lions now have to find crucial goals from somewhere, and hoping star striker Samuel Eto’o can do what he has promised, and fire the Cameroon side to glory. Eto’o was criticised by former Cameroon player Roger Milla ahead of the tournament, saying that the Inter Milan striker had done nothing for his country. What Cameroon will find against Denmark, is a side which is hard to break down, and that means they will need to play at pace, and find a creative spark from somewhere. A spark which was clearly not igniting in their first match.

Cameroon World Cup Betting: Cameroon are struggling to bring anything relative to the table unfortunately and look to have lost their way. They certainly do not look like one of Africa’s big hopes for the tournaments, and with the unrest in the camp and Eto’o threatening not to go, they need some camaraderie Is it there? Well this vital game will show that or not. They are on a major slump and a bad run of form, and it takes a lot to get out of that. They have played worse sides that Denmark and have failed to win, and it’s hard to see them having enough penetration to win this one. Eto’o may be worth backing as an anytime scorer, as he is their best hope, but to win money off Cameroon, find them in a decent plus for an Asian Handicap, as Denmark won’t run riot with goals.

Cameroon World Cup 2010 Stats
Played: P1, W0, D0, L1
GF/GA: 0/1
Cards: Y1, R0
Most Shots: Eric Choupo Moting, 5
Top Scorer: N/A
Shots/On Goal: 11/4
Fouls Committed: 29
Total Passes: 481
Pass Completion: 71%
Last 5 Form: DDLLL

Hopeful Denmark look past own goal disaster

Denmark did not exactly cover themselves in glory either in their first match, as they fell to the strong Dutch side 2-0. Defender Simon Poulson will be haunted by his defensive header which went wayward, hitting the back of a team mate and deflecting into the net. That own goal gave Holland the opening which they needed, and helped the Dutch comfortably build upon that opener and run out comfortable winners. What was evident, is that even when going behind, the Danes really did not seem to possess any urgency in getting forward into attack. They will be hoping that Arsenal’s Nicolas Bendtner, who missed the first match, will be back and fit enough to keep their World Cup hope alive. It is not that Denmark are short of forward quality, they are not, but Martin Olsen’s men prefers a style which is based in teamwork, hard graft in the middle of the park, and being economical in attack. Denmark did win their European qualification group, and that should give them some hope that they can turn things around. A win against Cameroon, with a final group match to come against Japan, suggests that there is more than enough optimism for Denmark to believe in themselves. They simply need to come out of their shell a bit more, and trust in themselves going forward. They do have a good defensive system, but something needs to bend just a little bit to find more of a balance going forward. If they can utilise the strengths of Jesper Gronkjaer, Jon Dahl Tomasson, Soren Larsen and Dennis Rommedahl up front, then they would put themselves in with a decent chance. That is what they need to do against a Cameroon side which is clearly lacking confidence and direction. Denmark should not have much trouble keeping a clean sheet against the mis-firing African side, but can they, themselves find a little more adventure and earn themselves the vital lifeline of three points?

Denmark World Cup Betting: The Europeans should pull through this one, but it will probably be a tight match. They have the superior fire power over Cameroon, but they don’t really push on to make the most of it. They should have more of a team spirit and cohesion than their opponents, and that is why they will be worth backing. They won’t have taken their first match defeat as hard as Cameroon did in theirs, that is for sure, and still have a good chance of qualification if they get their balance right. They should edge this one by a goal, or fall into a draw at the very least.

Denmark World Cup 2010 Odds
Played: P1, W0, D0, L1
GF/GA: 0/2
Cards: Y1, R0
Most Shots: Two Players, 2
Top Scorer: N/A
Shots/On Goal: 10/3
Fouls Committed: 20
Total Passes: 374
Pass Completion: 67%
Last 5 Form: LWLLL

Denmark v Cameroon Betting Odds

Denmark to win: 13/8 at Ladbrokes
Draw: 12/5 at Totesport
Cameroon to win: 21/10 at BetFred

Asian Handicap Betting Tip: Most sensible option here would be to either find go for a 0 on Denmark which equates to a Draw No Bet. That is backing Denmark not losing and you should get a decent price on it. That really isn’t a bad option at all on this one, but if you really fancy the Danes to sneak it, then better odds are here:
Denmark -0.25 for 11/10 at Bet365

Current Denmark v Cameroon Odds:

World Cup betting will pay much head to the deadline announcement day, as it is packed with some interesting International friendly matches. Team have to submit their final 23 man World Cup squads to FIFA on the deadline of June 1st, and while some, like Brazil, have already named their 23, there is much speculation about over the likes of who England manager Fabio Capello will cut from his squad after less than impressive warm up matches. All of the speculation will be over on June 1st, as the world learns who will be showing up at South Africa 2010 from all nations. It will also help in picking out the best of World Cup Odds, because some big players who are waiting on late fitness tests, could have a huge influence over proceedings, whether they make it or not. England’s Gareth Barry is one of the major names up there. All will be revealed,  but the announcements won’t take away from some interesting action, which could also influence your World Cup betting.

Australia v Denmark
The Australians can at least boast that they were the first team to arrive in South Africa for the World Cup. The Socceroos have landed themselves in Group D along with Germany, Serbia and Ghana, and so they have no easy task on their hands. They beat New Zealand in a warm up, but with all respect, that’s not much to write home about. Denmark won their qualification group ahead of Portugal, and it will be very interesting to see what they can do at the World Cup. They have a great chance of moving on to the second round, as they are in Group E with Holland, Japan and Cameroon. Denmark work well as a team and have some threatening talent up front, but it is their defence which will largely get them through. Their defence should be able to keep the Socceroos at bay, and further their claims as being an interesting outside bet.
Australia to win: 11/8 at Coral
Draw: 12/5 at Bwin
Australia to win: 9/4 at Victor Chandler

Switzerland v Costa Rica
Costa Rica gave France a good run for their money in a recent International Friendly, but are not on their way to the World Cup. Switzerland however, have a lot to play for, and will be quietly confident of reaching the second round. Much like Denmark, they are strong in terms of team spirit and fight. They impressed quite well in their qualification group from the European zone, but have to face leaders in World Cup Odds Spain, as well as Honduras and Chile. This match will give Switzerland some kind of taste of what is to come from the Latin sides they will meet at the World Cup, who will deal in speed and movement, whereas the Swiss will take a more neutral, efficient approach. Would lean towards Switzerland edging this one in the betting.
Switzerland to win: 3/5 at Totesport
Draw: 11/4 at Victor Chandler
Costa Rica to win: 9/2 at Bet365

Netherlands v Ghana
World Cup betting at Bet365 has seen Holland quietly creeping up in the World Cup Odds, shortening in price to 10/1 in the outright market. There has been little fuss or news coming out of the Dutch camp, as they have been going about their business without grabbing any headlines. The only big debate was over whether or not Ruud Van Nistelrooy would make the squad. He didn’t as the squad was cut down to size well ahead of the deadline. Holland made the USA look woeful in an international friendly, and took down Mexico as well. Now the Dutch, who got through their abridged qualification group with a 100% record, face World Cup participants Ghana.. For Ghana, they have lost Chelsea’s Michael Essien, but should still be a very strong team, as they showed at the African Cup of Nation. This match will be a great test of seeing where both teams are standing at ahead of the tournament, but Holland should edge it.
Holland to win: 5/11 at Coral
Draw: 10/3 at Bet365
Ghana: 8/1 at Victor Chandler

Portugal v Cameroon
Cameroon have been having to deal with a public spat between Samuel Eto’o and former World Cup star Roger Milla. Milla cited Eto’o for not having done anything for his country. Eto’o who has netted 44 times in 94 appearances for his country, was debating whether to go to South Africa 2010 after the personal attack on him, wondering why he should bother. But boss Paul Le Guen has picked him in his final 23, and the Inter Milan man will be going. Cameroon recently drew against Slovakia, and appear to be lacking a lot of punch, and may not be as much of a threat as hoped on African soil. Portugal have been unconvincing, and their World Cup Odds are reflecting that. They have plenty of talent, but coach Carlos Queiroz has not been getting the best out of them. They showed a lot of bottle in battling and scrapping to overcome a poor start in qualification to reach the finals, but don’t look strong enough. Interesting match, as both teams should be better than they are. Portugal maybe will have just a little more punch.
Portugal to win: 4/6 at Boylesports
Draw: 13/5 at Bet365
Cameroon to win: 4/1 at Paddy Power
 

 Manager: Paul Le Guen
Captain: Samuel Eto’o
FIFA World Ranking: 19
World Cup Appearances: 6
Best World Cup: Quarter-Finals – 1990

Cameroon Team Profile 

Cameroon are one of the more recognisable Africa nations, this because of their six previous appearances in the finals of a World Cup, while no other African nation has gone further than Cameroon’s best of the quarter-final stage back in 1990. They are the highest ranked African nation going to the World Cup, and because they’ve appeared in the finals on more occasions than any other African nation, they’ll head to South Africa with the boldest pedigree of all the African teams competing.

You don’t often associate Cameroon with big names but in their history they’ve had two who have stood out amongst the crowd of Cameroon wannabe stars, and they are Roger Milla, arguably the greatest Cameroon player ever, and Samuel Eto’o, who has been the idol of a football mad nation for quite some time. Eto is instantly recognisable not only because of his vast European experience and accolades earned from his time at Barcelona and Inter Milan, but also because of his bubbly attitude. Eto, because of his vast amount of experience and football knowledge, now captains Cameroon at international level and the pressure upon his shoulders to guide Cameroon past the group stages for the first time since 1990 will be immense, while Cameroon’s record of one win in their last nine World Cup fixtures needs improving in South Africa.

Nicknames: Les Lions Indomables (The Indomitable Lions)

Manager

Paul Le Guen has enjoyed a mixed bag of fortunes during his managerial career, with his spell at Lyon his best to date. His manager C.V. consists of stints at Lyon, Rangers, Rennes and more recently, Paris Saint Germain. However, his last spell at a French club, PSG, didn’t go accordingly with PSG spending vast amounts of the season near or in the relegation zone. Le Guen did eventually guide PSG away from the dreaded drop but received the sack as a result of a terribly poor season. PSG are now performing very well in Ligue 1 so perhaps his style wasn’t favoured by the players.

This is Paul Le Guen‘s first spell at International level, though, and although he has met the expectations and demands at the Cameroon helm, there were stages where Cameroon’s arrival in the World Cup was on the rocks. Nevertheless, Cameroon did qualify and now Paul le Guen can look forward and prepare for his first ever World Cup as a manager, after he failed to make any previous final as a player for France.

Although Paul Le Guen has been fairly successful as a manager, all of his success has come in the French leagues, so there will be reservations over his credentials to guide Cameroon to international success on the big stage. He has won the French Ligue 1 three times with Lyon, while he won the French cup on three occasions, also. Winning the World Cup with Cameroon would eclipse all those successes by some distance but that looks very unlikely.

Cameroon Key Players

Samuel Eto’o

There has to be no doubt as to who Cameroon’s best player is right now. The Inter Milan ace will be pivotal in how Cameroon fair in this summers showcase event as not only does he lead by example on the pitch, others look up to him off it, also. He has enjoyed a wealth of success at club level and his knowledge of the game is one of the many reasons why he captains Cameroon.

During qualifying, Eto almost single handily dragged Cameroon into the finals, scoring eight goals, five more than anyone else in the Cameroon set up. His sheer pace on and off the ball will scare the living daylights out of most defenders and keep even the smartest of defenders on their toes. His vision and awareness in the penalty area has made him one of the most feared strikers on the planet and, although the rest of the squad can’t get anywhere near Eto’s level, as long as they create half-a-chance for the Inter forward, chances are he will take it and he could be the pinnacle of an otherwise ordinary Cameroon team. 

Strengths

Most African sides boast pace as their strongest asset and Cameroon are no exception. We all know about Samuel Eto’o, but Pierro Webo & Achille Emana also boast speed in abundance, while Lyon’s Jean Makoun provides a safety netting over the Cameroon defence. The Cameroon squad does actually pack a lot of big club experience so the players, although some won’t be too familiar with a World Cup atmosphere, shouldn’t be too shy and reserved on the big stage. In fact, Le Guen opted to use just one home based player during Cameroon’s qualifying bid – Haman Sadjo being the only exception to a European based rule it would seem.

Weaknesses

Although most of the entire squad plies their trade in Europe, not too many actually play for big teams so it’s hard to consider that they will have the required level to go far this summer. They have the raw materials for a successful campaign; speed, strength and an unquestionable thirst for success – but consistency will be a big issue for most and they’ll need their A-game in all of their World Cup fixtures in order to please the millions of Cameroon fans back home. Anything short of 100% and it won’t be enough for Cameroon as their team just isn’t strong enough to drop off.

Cameroon Qualification for the World Cup

Sector: Africa
Group: A
Position: 1st
Win-Draw-Lose: 6-1-1
Goals Scored: 9
Goals Conceded: 2

Cameroon Qualifying statistics:

• Cameroon were one of two nations to qualify on the very last set of fixtures, beating Morocco 2-0 to book their spot in the finals.
• Samuel Eto’o was back to his prolific self when in a Cameroon shirt, netting no less than eight goals during qualifying, the second best tally in the African continent.
• Cameroon actually had the best defensive record throughout the lengthy qualifying period, conceding just four goals in 12 fixtures.
• Kameni, the goalkeeper, Jean Makoun & veteran Rigobert Song, were the only three players to partake in every qualifier in the group stage of qualifying. 

World Cup Potential: 2/5

Cameroon could be a nuisance at this summers show-piece but it’s hard to envisage Paul Le Guen’s outfit actually delving deep into South Africa’s inaugural World Cup. They do boast a handful of players that will be dangerous and lively characters, but consistency will undoubtedly be an issue. Samuel Eto’o will capture the heart of the nation as his pace and trickery in the final third will keep the fans back home not only excited but also in hope that their captain could inspire the team to great success. However, they will do well to escape what is a competitive Group E against the likes of Holland, Japan and Denmark.

Cameroon World Cup Betting Odds

Cameroon to win the World Cup: 450/1 – bWin 

Before the World Cup the odds on Cameroon were 125/1 

Official Cameroon World Cup Squad

Goalkeepers

Hamidou Souleymanou (Kayserispor)

Idriss Carlos Kameni (Espanyol Barcelona)

Guy Roland Ndy Assembe (Valenciennes)

Defenders

Benoit Assou-Ekotto (Tottenham Hotspur)

Sebastien Bassong (Tottenham Hotspur)

Gaetan Bong (FC Valenciennes)

Aurelien Chedjou (OSC Lille)

Geremi Njitap (Ankaragücü)

Stephane Mbia (Olympique Marseille)

Nicolas Nkoulou (AS Monaco)

Rigobert Song (Trabzonspor)

Midfielders

Achille Emana (Betis Seville)

Enoh Eyong Tarkang (Ajax Amsterdam)

Jean II Makoun (Olympique Lyon)

Georges Mandjeck (1. FC Kaiserslautern)

Joel Matip (FC Schalke 04)

Landry Nguemo (Celtic Glasgow)

Alexandre Song (Arsenal)

Strikers

Vincent Aboubakar (Coton Sport de Garoua)

Eric Choupo-Moting (Nuremberg)

Samuel Eto’o (Inter Milan)

Mohamadou Idrissou (SC Freiburg)

Pierre Webo (RCD Mallorca)

last update: 18 June 2010

World Cup 2010 Cameroon Fixtures – Group E

World Cup Group E - Table

World Cup Fixtures and Results

World Cup Group of Cameroon