Mexico beat Cameroon 1-0

Despite dominating possession and creating more scoring chances, Mexican fans had to wait until the 61st minute for their first chance to cheer in Natal on Friday afternoon local time.

Oribe Peralta swept in after Cameroon goalkeeper Charles Itandje saved a point-blank shot from Giovani dos Santos just inside the box. While Itandje did well do get down to make the block, he was unable to hold on to the ball, and Peralta made no mistake, stroking it into the gaping twine.

Just 10 minutes earlier, Peralta had been denied by Itandje, who lunged out and blocked the Mexican striker's effort, after Do Santos had sent him in alone on the indomitable lions' goal.

Three goals called back

Although he didn't get the goal, Dos Santos may have been the outstanding man of the match. Twice in the first half he thought he had drawn first blood for Mexico.

In the 11th minute, the former Tottenham player found the target with a volley off a cross from Porto's Hector Herrara, but the linesman ruled that Dos Santos was offside, albeit by the narrowest of margins. Some would argue, it was so close, that it should have been given, as he was level with the last defender, but may have been leaning a bit forward.

On the half-hour mark, Colombian referee Wilmar Roldan disallowed a goal that Dos Santos scored from a header. Just why this one was called back was unclear.

Cameroon also had a goal called back in the first half, but this time, Mainz striker Eric Choupo-Moting was clearly offside.

The result sees Mexico go second in Group A, behind the hosts, Brazil defeat Croatia 3-1 in World Cup openerBrazil, who were helped by a very controversial penalty, as they beat Croatia 3-1# in Thursday's opening match. German coach Volker Finke's Cameroon are third in the group, ahead of Croatia based on goal difference.