Cameroon draw as Mali lose
Last updated on .From the section Football
Cameroon and New Zealand played a 1-1 draw in the opening game in Group B of the Under-20 World Cup on Saturday.
Christ Mbondi gave the Africans the lead in the 34th minute, but New Zealand pulled even in the 40th through an own-goal by Serge Tchaha.
Cameroon dominated the contest with seven shots on target to only one for New Zealand.
Cameroon, runners-up in the African Youth Championship to Nigeria, play Portugal on Tuesday in Cali.
New Zealand faces Uruguay in Cali the same day.
The draw may hurt less since Uruguay and Portugal could only manage a draw also.
Portugal finished with 10 men after midfielder Sergio Oliveira was sent off in the 80th for his second yellow card.
The start of both Group A matches were pushed back an hour after driving rain drenched the field.
Despite the deluge, the pitch was in remarkably good shape as Kim Kyung-jung and Jang Hyun-soo lifted South Korea to a 2-0 victory over Mali.
The South Koreans opened the scoring after Rim Chang-woo's long throw-in bounced loose for Kim to poke home in the 50th minute.
Jang converted an 80th-minute penalty after Mali's Mohamed Traore pulled down Baek Sung-dong in the area.
Kim was probably the best attacking player on the field, with the South Koreans also defending well and looking organised despite the difficult playing conditions.
