Germany Held by Resilient Cameroon in Thrilling World Cup Warm-Up
Mönchengladbach, Germany — 2 June 2014
Germany and Cameroon played out an entertaining 2-2 draw in a lively World Cup warm-up clash on Sunday, as both sides showed flashes of brilliance in front of a packed crowd at Borussia Park in Mönchengladbach.
The Indomitable Lions, led by the returning Samuel Eto’o, offered a significantly improved display compared to their previous outing against Paraguay, which they lost 2-1. Although Cameroon started slowly, allowing Germany three clear chances in as many minutes, they soon regained composure and began to trouble the German backline.
Eto’o, a talismanic presence, had a chance to break the deadlock in the first half but failed to convert. The match remained goalless at the break, but both sides looked dangerous.
The second half delivered the goals the first lacked. In the 62nd minute, Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting delivered a well-placed cross which Eto’o finished confidently, netting his first away goal for Cameroon since July 2013, when he was with Russian club Anzhi Makhachkala.
Germany responded swiftly. Just minutes later, substitute Benoît Assou-Ekotto was caught out on the flank, allowing Jerome Boateng to whip in a cross that Thomas Müller headed past the Cameroonian goalkeeper.
Joachim Löw’s side turned the tide completely when Lukas Podolski — in a slightly offside position — squared the ball for André Schürrle, who made no mistake from close range to make it 2-1 for Germany.
Yet Cameroon refused to lie down. With ten minutes to go, Choupo-Moting, the standout player for the African side during their warm-up campaign, struck once more. His composed finish levelled the match at 2-2 and marked his third goal in as many friendlies — a strong statement ahead of the World Cup.
The result will offer encouragement to Cameroon manager Volker Finke, whose side showed resilience, attacking intent, and sharper defensive organisation compared to recent performances.
While Germany looked dangerous in phases, questions remain over their defensive cohesion — an issue Löw will be keen to address before the tournament begins.
Final score: Germany 2–2 Cameroon. A result that leaves both sides with valuable lessons and positives to build upon as they head to Brazil.
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