Originally published by Ace Magazine, Liverpool online June 2014.
Every World Cup needs a villain, in the same way that hundreds of Pantomimes up and down the country require a Captain Hook, a wicked witch or rampaging giant or a Government finds it essential to for its people to fear another country somewhere in the world, so the football World Cup necessitates that a player must be the man that the negativity surrounds itself around. From Antonio Ubaldo Rattín in 1966, Harold Shumaker and his rather disgraceful pole axing attempt on Patrick Battiston, Diego Maradona and the scandal that surrounded 1994 and for England fans his flagrant handball in Mexico in 1986, Zinedine Zidane and his over the top reaction and even England’s own David Beckham in 1998 against Argentina, the fan always loves a villain.
In 2014, with barely the competition having seriously started, Alex Song stepped up to the plate and ruined any slender chance that Cameroon might at least leave it to the final group game before bowing out with one of the most abject, disappointing and moments of madness ever seen on a football pitch. For anybody in the stadium who saw the thrusting elbow and fist movement, more in keeping with an illegal ring fight in a disused warehouse somewhere in Whitechapel in Victorian England, and for those watching at home, it wasn’t the rather super display that Croatia put on as they bounced back from opening game defeat to Brazil, it wasn’t the talk of Cameroon not fulfilling once again the promise of the team era of 1990, it was Alex Song and the near criminal way he elbow chopped Mario Mandžukić, a move which saw blatant disregard for the rules of the games, sportsmanship and for football as a spectacle. In any other walk of life such an action would warrant a police investigation and charges bought. Whilst Croatia ran rampant, one man’s actions will be forever played out in the minds of all who saw the game. Disgraceful? Certainly! Criminal? Who knows! That is up to F.I.F.A.
For the game itself Croatia deserved the win and the final score of 4-0 could well have been achieved if Cameroon had kept all 11 players on the pitch. This World Cup has already thrown up some terrific routs, Holland outplayed Spain, and that’s being kind, Germany destroyed Portugal and now Croatia, with goals from Ivica Olić, Ivan Perišić and Man of the Match Mario Mandžukić simply reminded television viewers round the world why they finished third in 1998. They might not have the same depth of class as that generation of footballers who pulled on the white and red check shirt and gave hope once more to the people who had lived through strife after the break-up of Yugoslavia and the subsequent war that followed but they have the same gritty determination, the same absolute desire to win and in Mario Mandžukić, Ivan Perišić and the dependable Vedran Ćorluka, they have players in which might just at least take them through to the next round.
Despite excellent work down the flanks, for nobody can deny the speed in which the Cameroon played the game, there was no end product, a true mockery of what the team once stood for. Whether the average Cameroon fan lays the blame on the team and perhaps the undisguised way in which they handled the monetary situation with their own F.A. or the quiet unassuming German manager remains to be seen. The Spanish F.A. will be asking many questions of their own team’s poor display at this tournament, for Cameroon, they might just ask if they really have to go home to face the music.
Despite Alex Song’s unbelievable and gratuitous moment of violence, Croatia will be remembered for turning their game around after being beaten by the hosts Brazil in the opening game of the tournament. With Cameroon arguably now having as much chance as a mouse against a yet to be truly unleashed tiger, albeit one who hasn’t really sparkled in the way that many would hope yet, Croatia go into the game against Mexico knowing that they already face a cup final to qualify. Mexico have been far and away the best team in the group so far but Croatia will give them a game.
Of course Cameroon could still yet wreck the chances of Brazil qualifying as Croatia’s goal difference is slightly better than the men for whom football is a religion. A good draw between Mexico and Croatia and the most unlikely of results between a Cameroon side that has been wracked with the presumptive talk of win bonus payments before the cup even started and a team who on their day could take on all and with one foot tied behind their back and still win…let’s be honest, such talk is made for fairy tales, after Alex Song’s actions and further infighting from the Cameroon side towards the end of the game, it would almost be a horror story worthy of Stephen King if Cameroon were to deny Brazil qualification to the last 16. Mexico and Croatia looks like being a mouth-watering affair.
Cameroon: Charles Itandje, Stéphane Mbia, Aurélien Chedjou, Nicolas N’Koulou, Benoît Assou-Ekotto, Joël Matip, Alex Song, Eyong Enoh, Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting, Benjamin Moukandjo, Vincent Aboubak.
Substitutes: Dany Nounkeu, Pierre Webó, Edgar Salli.
Croatia: Stipe Pletikosa, Darijo Srna, Vedran Ćorluka, Dejan Lovren, Danijel Pranjić, Luka Modrić, Ivan Rakitić, Ivan Perišić, Sammir, Ivica Olić, Mario Mandžukić,
Substitutes: Eduardo, Mateo Kovačić, Ante Rebić
Venue: Arena da Amazônia, Manaus
Referee: Pedro Proença
Goal Scorers: Croatia: Ivica Olić, Ivan Perišić, Mario Mandžukić
Final Score Cameroon 0-4 Croatia
Man of the Match: Mario Mandžukić.
Ian D. Hall