Syria punch above weight,hold Cameroon

Syria was chasing a win after its opening game loss against India and started with a measure of urgency. Cameroon,ranked almost 100 places above their opponents,also began their Cup campaign in sprightly fashion,playing pacy,slick football.

When Kingue Mpondo put the African nation ahead through a header from a corner,Syria countered by breaking up the play through fouls and tough challenges.

Cameroon,composed of players drawn entirely from its local leagues,was left rattled and with the playing surface still sluggish from day-long rain,the initial swagger soon disappeared.

Syria made them pay with the equaliser at the end of the first half,another header by Alaa Alshbbli from a free-kick.

With both sides fouling frequently and booming the ball up and down the field in the second half, goals looked hard to come by and when they did arrive,it was through more set pieces.

Kologny Merime burst through into the area one-on-one with Syrian ‘keeper Ahmed Alsalih,and the custodian looked to have taken the ball off the striker cleanly,but the referee pointed to the spot. Ebanga Bertin converted calmly.

Behind again,Syria once more pushed hard,levelling with the best piece of skill the match produced. Mohamad Zubaida’s free-kick was chested down for Abdul Jaffal,who knifed in a sweet volley in the 80th minute.