• Cameroon 1-2 Denmark, World Cup Group E

Denmark send Cameroon home

Denmark celebrated keeping their hopes of qualification alive © Getty Images

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Cameroon v Denmark gallery

Cameroon became the first side to be eliminated from the World Cup, as Denmark came from behind to claim a 2-1 win in Pretoria.

Paul Le Guen made the change his country craved by moving Samuel Eto'o into the centre and the forward justified the decision by firing Cameroon ahead inside 10 minutes. Eto'o went on to hit a post later in the half and it proved costly, as the Danes battled back to draw level through Nicklas Bendtner.

Dennis Rommedahl created Bendtner's goal and he showed his class by netting the winner, cutting inside Jean Makoun and curling the ball into the far corner.

Cameroon had a host of chances to snatch the point that would have kept their hopes alive, but Thomas Sorensen stood firm to send the Indomitable Lions packing.

Denmark will now face Japan for a place in the second round, with Netherlands already through.

Denmark, who had lost their previous three games without scoring a goal, had the first opportunity but Rommedahl fired over after breaking the offside trap in the sixth minute.

The Ajax winger should have done better and four minutes later Eto'o showed him how it should be done by putting Cameroon ahead following a bad defensive error by Christian Poulsen.

Poulsen picked up possession from his goalkeeper Thomas Sorensen on the edge of the box and then attempted to find Simon Kjaer with a first-time pass without looking up. The pass was intercepted by Emana, who quickly picked out the unmarked Eto'o in the middle and the Inter Milan star took one touch before drilling a low shot past Sorensen.

The Danes were back on level terms just after the half-hour mark at Loftus Versfeld stadium, though. Cameroon goalkeeper Souleymanou Hamidou had done well to deny Tomasson earlier but he could do nothing about the equaliser as his defence were cut open far too easily.

Nicklas Bendtner was on hand to draw Denmark level © Getty Images

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A superb long ball from inside his own half by Kjaer just cleared Benoit Assou-Ekotto and fell perfectly for the flying Rommedahl, and his low ball into the centre was slid home by Bendtner from eight yards.

Both sides had chances to snatch the lead during a hectic spell just prior to half-time. For Denmark, Rommedahl could not take advantage of getting clear once again before, from the same attack, Tomasson saw a goal-bound shot blocked.

Then for Cameroon, Eto'o fired against the post following another defensive mistake, while Emana was denied by Sorensen after bursting through the two Danish centre backs.

The all-action encounter continued apace at the start of the second half when Stephane M'bia and Kjaer both brought fingertip saves out of their opposing goalkeepers.

Cameroon striker Pierre Webo then blazed a decent opening high into the stands before also being denied by Sorensen as the African side looked to be taking control.

However, it was Denmark who got the next goal through the dangerous Rommedahl in the 61st minute. Bendtner's pass put Rommedahl away down the right and the 31-year-old cut inside Jean Makoun before curling a low left-footed shot past Hamidou. That left Cameroon staring World Cup elimination in the face, and they almost fell 3-1 behind in the 71st minute, Hamidou coming to their rescue to superbly keep out Tomasson's effort.

Sorensen then produced an even better save six minutes later, diving low to his right to parry away Emana's shot.

Cameroon laid siege to Sorensen's goal in the closing stages, but they could find no way through as Denmark held on for the points.

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