Cameroon, Senegal notch up opening wins

Cameroon and Senegal both began their African Nations Cup campaigns with wins on Sunday but fellow World Cup finalists South Africa were held to a goalless draw by modest Burkina Faso.

A superb long-range shot by Patrick Mboma, completely out of the blue in an otherwise tedious match, gave defending champions Cameroon a 1-0 win over the Democratic Republic of Congo in their group C game in Sikasso.

Senegal confirmed their superiority over Egypt when Lamine Diatta scrambled in a goal from a corner just seven minutes from time to give them a 1-0 win as Sunday's three games produced a meagre two goals between them.

But South Africa, semifinalists in Nigeria and Ghana two years ago and runners-up in Burkina Faso in 1998, could do no better than their 0-0 stalemate with the rank outsiders in group B.

Cameroon, whose team is filled with players based at big-name European clubs, are widely fancied to repeat their title-winning display of two years ago and go on to do well in the World Cup in Japan and South Korea.

But the Indomitable Lions, the only African country to have reached the World Cup quarter-finals, looked vulnerable in defence and disjointed in attack as their strikers were caught offside six times in the first half alone.

Mboma himself had an otherwise subdued game, missing two excellent chances.

The Simbas had their chances to claim at least a draw as Newcastle United striker Lomana Treso Lua Lua caused the Cameroon defence numerous problems.

Senegal qualified for the World Cup at Egypt's expense and proved the achievement was not a fluke as French-based Diatta took advantage of a mistake by goalkeeper Essam El-Haddary to head in the only goal.

The goal was a fair reward for Senegal, who dominated the second half with El Hadj Ousseynou Diouf forcing several saves from El-Haddary.

Hazem Emam and Ahmed Hassan both had chances to equalise as the Pharaohs launched a belated barrage on the Lions' goal.

The final game exposed South Africa's weaknesses, in particular poor finishing, as they and Burkina Faso brought the day to a dismal end.