FRANCE 98 – Match preview n°36
Cameroon and Chile, both without a win after two matches, will be looking to grab a last chance at glory when they meet in their final World Cup Group B match here on Tuesday.
Italy, who face Austria at the Stade de France at the same time, are the favourites to win the group, but any one of the three remaining teams could also advance to the last 16.
Chile opened with an impressive 2-2 draw with the Italians, but they conceded a final-minute goal after domininating Austria and had to settle for a 1-1 scoreline. All three of their goals so far have come from Marcelo ” The Matador ” Salas, their master marskman.
Salas, just 23, will go into the Cameroon match needing one goal to break the Chilean international goalscoring record. Salas currently has 29 goals, the same as Carlos Caszely, which he has scored in just 48 internationals. No wonder Lazio have swooped to sign ” Mr 100 percent ” from Argentine club River Plate. ” It is not important to me that I break this record, “ said Salas. ” What is important to me is that Chile qualify for the second round. Whether I score or not. “
A win over Cameroon would ensure the Chileans of a place in the second round regardless of the results of the other game. Cameroon, however, know that even a victory may not be enough. The Chileans, making their seventh World Cup final appearance but their first for 16 years, appear to have trump cards in strike duo Salas and Ivan Zamorano, but they were stunned by Austria’s late equaliser in St Etienne.
” It was a real blow to the morale of the team, “ said goalkeeper Nelson Tapia. ” But we are still motivated. We want to give something back to our supporters and don’t want to go home as losers. “ Zamorano said the Chileans were encouraged by the football they have played, but disappointed by the results. ” We are one of the teams that plays the best football, “ he said. ” We are champion players and we combine well as a team, even though we lack a little experience at this level. “
If Chile finish second in the group they will earn a second-round meeting with defending champions Brazil. Zamorano would relish a meeting with the Brazilians and their star striker Ronaldo-his teammate at Inter Milan. ” Ronaldo told me before the World Cup that Chile wouldn’t make it past the first round, “ Zamorano said. ” My dream would be to play Brazil, win the match and then exchenge jerseys with Ronaldo. “
Cameroon have no injury problems but will be without defender Raymond Kalla Nkongo, who was suspended for two matches after being sent off for a wild foul on Italian midfielder Luigi di Biagio during the 3-0 loss in Montpellier last Wednesday. The Africans, aiming to match their performance as quarter-finalists in Italy eight years ago, have been their own worst enemies thus far, but have sought to blame others for their misfortunes.
” I think that our team played well, but it’s not the first time that Cameroon has suffered at the hands of referees, “ said Sports Minister Joseph Owona after the loss to Italy.