Peralta Menangkan Meksiko setelah Dua Gol Santos Dianulir Wasit
Santos Sees Two Goals Disallowed Before Peralta Grabs Winner
Editor : Cahyani Harzi
Translator : Dhelia Gani
Natal (B2B) - Kegesitan Oribe Peralta mengantar Meksiko memenangi laga pertamanya pada Piala Dunia 2014, dengan kemenangan 1-0 atas Kamerun di Estadio das Dunas, Natal, Jumat dinihari WIB.
Gol yang dicipta Peralta dengan menyapu bola muntah tendangan Dos Santos yang diblok kiper Kamerun, Itanjde, menit 61 telah memecah kebuntuan permainan tanpa gol sejak babak pertama, seperti dilansir Yahoo Sports.
Satu-satunya gol penting Meksiko tercipta tidak terlepas dari peran aksi individu Dos Santos dari depan jauh kotak penalti Kamerun.
Itanjde yang sebelumnya melakukan beberapa kali penyelamatan untuk Kamerun dipaksa takluk di kaki Peralta, setelah gagal menangkap bola tendangan Dos Santos.
Gol itu sekaligus membuktikan bahwa Peralta juga mampu berbicara di kancah lebih akbar setelah pada Olimpiade 2012 lalu ia juga mencetak gol dalam kemenangan El Tri melawan Brasil di final.
Tidak lama setelah gol Peralta, pelatih Miguel Herrera secara mengejutkan memasukkan Javier Hernandez yang sebelumnya disebut-sebut tidak akan dimainkan. Ia masuk menggantikan Peralta menit 74.
Masuknya sang bintang yang namanya sedikit meredum di Liga Inggris bersama Manchester United itu, ternyata tidak membuat Meksiko mampu menambah gol.
Satu peluang bagus Hernandez pada akhir babak kedua saat menerima umpan Miguel Layun gagal diselesaikannya dengan baik. Tendangannya masih melebar di atas gawang Kamerun.
Meksiko yang memenangi penguasaan bola sejak babak pertama juga beberapa kali mendapatkan ancaman dari penyerang-penyerang Kamerun seperti Eto´o, Mbia, Enoh, dan Chedjou.
Sementara Choupo-Moting lebih banyak berperan sebagai pembangun serangan. Satu upaya Choupo-Moting menit 85 pun masih bisa diblok bek Meksiko, Marquez.
Sampai waktu tambahan babak pertama habis, upaya Kemerun tetap sia-sia dan harus menyerah tipis 0-1 dari Meksiko.
Natal - Mexico got just rewards for their attacking intent when Oribe Peralta´s 61st minute strike gave them a 1-0 win over Cameroon in their World Cup opener at a rain-saturated Dunas arena on Friday.
The Mexicans had two Giovani dos Santos efforts controversially disallowed in the first half but Peralta´s goal means they will now feel they have a good chance of progressing from Group A, which also includes hosts Brazil and Croatia.
Cameroon, who only arrived in Brazil after a player strike was averted by last-minute negotiations, had packed their midfield in an attempt to stifle the Mexicans and lone striker Samuel Eto´o failed to find the goal with his few opportunities.
Mexico came out to attack as coach Miguel Herrera had promised and "El Tri" dominated the opening exchanges with wingbacks Miguel Layun and Paul Aguilar getting plenty of space out wide.
Dos Santos first found the net with a neat volley after 11 minutes but was called back despite appearing to be in line with the defenders.
Cameroon could have taken the lead after 21 minutes when fullback Benoit Assou-Ekotto beat two defenders and found Eto´o in the box but the striker was able only hit the outside of the post.
Eto´o had another chance three minutes later but was unable to control the ball when Eric-Maxim Choupo Moting headed it down to his feet in the six yard box.
Mexico should have been in front after 29 minutes when Andres Guardado´s free kick from the right found Rafael Marquez and Hector Moreno unmarked at the far post but the opportunity went begging.
If the decision to deny dos Santos a first goal could be called a marginal call, the second after half an hour was a clear error.
A corner swung in from the left was flicked on by one Cameroon defender and, as another raced off the line, dos Santos managed to turn back and head the ball into the net.
