Cameroon`s growing optimism heading into the World Cup was given a huge dent in Copenhagen as Denmark cantered to victory in their send-off game.
The Danes dominated for virtually a solid hour in a very entertaining game, and would have won by more had it not been for the heroics of Cameroon`s goalkeeper Boukar Alioum.
Alioum pulled off a string of brilliant saves in the game, and it was telling that the two efforts that defied were an own goal and a penalty.
Although Cameroon had started brightly, as soon as Denmark began to show teeth they looked nervous.
And when on 19 minutes Martin Jorgensen crossed in from the right, defender Lucien Mettomo panicked and turned the ball past his own goalkeeper.
And from that moment, the floodgates seemed destined to open with the force of an ocean and sweep away the Cameroon defence like a tiny thatched village.
/>Tomasson, Jorgensen and Gronkjaer (twice) all had great chances to double the lead within ten minutes, and all were somehow stopped by Alioum.
Huge crowd
Cameroon`s coach Winfried Schafer made four changes at half time, and must have wished he could have made ten.
But his problems continued after the break when on the hour mark minutes Raymond Kalla was adjudged to have fouled Claus Jensen in the penalty area.
Kalla protested his innocence but the referee pointed to the spot and Jon-Dahl Tomassen tucked it away easily.
Following that, Denmark relaxed and Cameroon grabbed a headed goal from Mbalme on 73 minutes.
The Indomitable Lions were waved forward by Schafer, but their attack lacked precision and they seemed to give up towards the very end.
A crowd of nearly 35,000 - 10,000 more than was expected - turned up to cheer Denmark off.
