Australia Ends Hat-trick Of Defeats with FIFA Series Opening Win Over Cameroon
The Socceroos snapped a three-game losing streak with a 1-0 victory over Cameroon this Friday morning. It took an 85th-minute strike from wing-back Jordan Bos to finally separate the two sides in front of a home crowd of 83,000.
The opening 45 minutes were largely mundane, with both teams struggling to find a creative spark on a slippery surface. Australia coach Tony Popovic used the friendly to blood new talent, handing starts to 18-year-old Colorado Rapids defender Lucas Herrington and Poland-based striker Deni Juric.
David Pagou of Cameroon equally handed debuts to four players in a much changed team: Brice Ambina, Fosso, Kandem and Moungam Emmanuel.
With the Socceroos, while Juric struggled to find his footing and was substituted at the break, Herrington looked remarkably composed, nullifying the Cameroonian attack with a maturity that belied his age.
The energy shifted dramatically in the second half following the introduction of Nestory Irankunda and Awer Mabil. Their zest forced Cameroon onto the back foot, leading to a 71st-minute penalty after Cameroon’s Oliver Kamdem, one of the four debutants for the 5-time AFCON champions fouled Aiden O’Neill. However, the Socceroos’ frustrations continued when Ajdin Hrustic’s spot-kick was expertly denied by goalkeeper Devis Epassy.
Just as the Sydney crowd began to resign itself to a scoreless stalemate, the tension finally snapped five minutes from time. The decisive moment was sparked by substitute Paul Okon-Engstler, whose vision sliced through a tired Cameroon’s midfield to thread a dangerous ball into the penalty area.
The Indomitable Lions’ defense of: Che Malone, Kotto and Moungam, which had been so resolute for 84 minutes, finally blinked. Defender Samuel Kotto misjudged his interception, allowing the ball to skip past him and into the path of an oncoming Jordan Bos. Showing the composure of a seasoned striker, the wing-back pounced on the loose ball and slotted a calm finish past Devis Epassy. It was Bos’s third international goal, and arguably his most vital, providing an edge that had eluded the Socceroos all evening.
While Cameroon showed promise under David Pagou— until the late lapse—they will need to find more clinical finishing when they face China on March 31.
For the Socceroos, the win provides a much-needed injection of confidence. However, the victory may have came at a cost; midfielder Connor Metcalfe was forced off with a worrying knee injury, making him a major doubt for Tuesday night’s clash against Curacao in Melbourne.
