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Polster foils Cameroon
Austrian captain scores off corner kick for 1-1 draw
Posted: Tuesday September 15, 1998 07:45 PM
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Pierre Njanka (left), making just his third international appearance, evaded two defenders on a spectacular 40-yard run to give Cameroon 1-0 lead in the 77th minute Stu Forster/Allsport |
TOULOUSE, France (CNN/SI)
-- Anton Polster made his historic goal a meaningful one.
The Austrian
midfielder scored off a corner kick in second-half stoppage time to secure
a 1-1 draw with Cameroon on
Thursday night in the World Cup opener for both teams.
It was the 16th goal in World Cup qualifying and finals matches for the
34-year-old captain, breaking the Austrian record previously held by Hans
Krankl.
On a corner kick from the right side, defender Anton Pfeffer headed the
ball to Polster, who took two steps and put his shot into the roof of the
net, skimming the bottom of the crossbar.
"That we managed to equalize things, that turned into a great feeling,"
Austrian coach Herbert Prohaska said.
Cameroon had taken a 1-0 lead in the 77th minute when Pierre Njanka,
making just his third international appearance, evaded two defenders on a
spectacular 40-yard run.
Starting just beyond the midfield line, Njanka sidestepped Wolfgang
Feiersinger and then Peter Schoettel before blasting his shot over diving
goalkeeper Michael Konsel.
The outcome created a four-way tie on points in World Cup Group B. The
other two teams in the group, Italy and Chile, locked at
2-2 earlier in the day.
"We're starting from scratch," Prohaska said. "It was all zero points
before and it's all one point now."
Njanka's goal was a one-man effort, characterizing much of Cameroon's
play. It also livened up a game that had featured slips, slides, pushes and
great saves on the wet turf of the new Municipal Stadium, which was
drenched by heavy rains just before kickoff.
Though the Austrians had possession for much of the first half, the
African squad opened up play in the second half, often threatening, but
just as often losing in front of the Austrian goal with passes that went
nowhere.
Cameroon coach Claude Leroy said he was happy with his team's effort,
particularly in the second half.
"Initially, we played the ball too deeply, and then I told the players
to get it up some," Leroy said.
Konsel made three outstanding stops, while Cameroon's Jacques Sango'o
had two tough saves as the match appeared headed for a 0-0 draw.
Twice, Konsel leapt to make fingertip saves, against Didier Angibeau in
the first half and against Pierre Wome in the second.
Austria didn't test Sango'o until the 71st minute, when he knocked a
shot from Polster to defender Rigobert Song, who cleared it to the side.
Sango'o also held on to an attempt by Heimo Pfeifenberger in the 74th.
The game was marred by rough play, and the Austrians appeared especially
frustrated over several tackles by the "Indomitable Lions." However, Paraguayan
referee Epifanio Gonzalez issued only two yellow cards, one to Pfeffer and
the other to Cameroon's Samuel Ipoua.
Lineups
Cameroon: Jacques Sango'o; Pierre Wome, Rigobert Song, Raymond
Kalla, Pierre Njanka; Joseph Ndo; Francois Omam-Biyick (Alphone Tchami,
84th) , Didier Angibeau, Patrick Mboma, Augustine Simo (Salomon Olembre,
66th), Samuel Ipoua (Joseph-Desire Job, 66th).
Austria: Michael Konsel, Peter Schoettel, Anton Pfeffer, Wolfgang
Feiersinger, Heimo Pfeifenberger (Peer Stoeger, 83rd) , Andreas Herzog
(Ivica Vastic, 83rd), Harald Cerny (Mario Hass, 83rd), Arnold Wetl, Roman
Maehlich, Dietmar Kuehbauer, Anton Polster.
Referee: Epifanio Gonzalez, Paraguay.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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