adminMONCHENGLADBACH. — Cameroon coach Volker Finke says Chelsea striker Samuel Eto’o gave his side a timely World Cup soccer boost with an impressive display in their 2-2 friendly against Germany.
The 33-year-old Cameroon captain had laboured with groin and hamstring injuries during the Indomitable Lions pre-World Cup camp in Austria.
But the Chelsea star, who is now a free agent and has been linked to a move to Arsenal, produced an impressive display over 92 minutes against Germany in Moenchengladbach on Sunday.
He was a constant menace to the hosts’ defence and put Cameroon ahead with a well-taken 62nd-minute strike.
And he created the best chance of the first-half with a superb defence-splitting pass which Benjamin Moukandjo failed to convert. With 114 caps and now 55 goals for Cameroon, Eto’o is a key factor in his country’s bid to reach the World Cup knock-out stages for the first time since 1990.
“I’m pleased he lasted so long out on the pitch after coming to us injured from Chelsea, we’ll have to see how he is in the next few days,” said Finke, who will submit his final 23-man squad on Monday.
Cameroon World Cup Squad
Goalkeepers: Charles Itandje (Konyaspor, Turkey), Sammy Ndjock (Fethiyespor, Turkey), Lioc Feudjou (Coton Sport)
Defenders: Allan Nyom (Granada, Spain), Nounkeu Dany (Besiktas, Turkey), Cedric Djeugoue (Coton Sport), Aurelien Chedjou (Galatasaray, Turkey), Nicolas Nkoulou (Marseille, France), Henri Bedimo (Lyon, France), Benoit Assou-Ekotto (QPR, on loan from Tottenham, England)
Midfielders: Enoh Eyong (Antalyaspor, Turkey), Jean Makoun (Rennes, France), Joel Matip (Schalke 04, Germany), Stephane Mbia (Sevilla, Spain on loan from QPR, England), Landry Nguemo (Bordeaux, France), Alexandre Song (Barcelona, Spain), Edgar Salli (Lens, France)
Forwards: Samuel Eto’o (Chelsea, France), Eric-Maxim Choupo-Moting (Mainz 05, Germany), Benjamin Moukandjo (Nancy, France), Vincent Aboubakar (Lorient, France), Pierre Achille Webo (Fenerbahce, Turkey), Fabrice Olinga (Zulte Waregem, Belgium)
Notable omissions: Mohamadou Idrissou (Kaiserslautern), Guy Roland Ndy Assembe (Nancy), Cedric Loe (Osasuna), Jean-Armel Kana-Biyik (Rennes) and Gaetang Bong (Olympiiacos). — AFP
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