World Cup 2010 Game Previews – 6/14/2010

Written by Aaron on June 14, 2010 – 12:16 am -

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Japan Cameroon Group E – Game 2

Cameroon vs. Japan

ESPN – 10:00 AM ET

Cameroon:

Cameroon is back in the World Cup after missing it in 2006. The team known as, “The Lions” is one of six from the African continent and will feel some sort of home field advantage for their games. Cameroon is based around the work of it’s wing players and the service to their strikers. Samuel Eto’o is the main target up top and has scored many goals for his club and country. Viewed as the second best team in this group behind the Dutch, Cameroon will have a lot of pressure to score goals, which plays right into their weakness. Cameroon struggles against the counter attack and will be vulnerable to the fast paced attack.

More after the jump…..

Cameroon’s key players:

Samuel Eto’o: Cameroon’s all time leading goal scorer (44 goals in 96 games) will have a lot to prove as he has faced much criticism from the local media and former Cameroon internationals. One such spat of words between Eto’o and former star, Roger Milla, led to the threat from Eto’o that he was going to quit the team. Eto’o has been a machine for his club teams, winning back to back Champions League trophies with Barcelona and Inter Milan. A run that has seen him notch 52 goals between the 2 seasons. If Eto’o can pick his game up on the big stage, look out for Cameroon to be the only African team to advance out of group play.

Georges Mandjek: Mandjek is a rising young star who has been flying under the radar for the past year. He plays his club soccer in Germany for Stuttgart. The 21 year old versatile, two-way midfielder is constantly on the go, breaking up opposing teams attacks and turning it into a quick counter attack that he orchestrates through the wings. Watch for Mandjek to become a big star in this tournament if Cameroon goes anywhere.

Japan:

Very few believe this Japanese team possesses the personnel to make a run back to the round of 16 like they did in 2002. Japan has limped into the World Cup losers of their past four games by a combined score of 9-1. Their main weapon is their ability to sit in defensively and quickly counter attack with their beautiful possession and short passing game. The Samurai will be playing in their fourth World Cup and are long shots to get out of this group. If they’re to surprise us and get out of the group stage, here’s some players that will be key for their success.

Japan’s key players:

Keisuke Honda: Although this sounds like a new make of vehicle, it’s actually Japan’s best option for advancing out of the group stage. He plays his club soccer in Europe for CSKA Moscow, and helped them make a deep run into the Champions League. Honda is deadly on free-kicks as well as whipping in crosses and releasing the strikers on deadly runs. If Japan wants to get out of this group, Honda will have to lead the way.

Shunsuke Nakamura: Another creative midfielder, and one who is idolized and adored by his native country. Nakamura has had some great moments in his club career, with Celtic in Champions League play, he dazzled us with a free kick against Manchester United that essentially sealed his move to Espanyol. Nakamura has also starred in a World Cup in 2006 for Japan and was clearly the best player on the pitch for the Samurai.

Predictions:

Aaron York: (Cameroon 1 – Japan 0) Japan will get caught on the counter attack and Eto’o will use his speed to make them pay.

Taylor Fugate:

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