Football: Cameroon win first ever gold in shootout

Cameroon beat a Spain side reduced to nine men 5-3 on penalties in a thrilling climax to the men's football tournament, winning the country's first-ever gold medal in the process.

Spain had two players sent off during normal time, which ended 2-2, yet hung on bravely through 30 minutes of extra time to force the match into a penalty shoot-out.

But Amaya, who had already scored an own goal, compounded the crime by hitting the bar with his side's third effort.

After the Arsenal midfielder Lauren and Albelda had successfully converted from the spot, Cameroon's sweeper, Pierre Wome, sent the Spanish keeper, Aranzubia, the wrong way to keep the Olympic title in Africa after Nigeria's triumph four years ago.

Cameroon, who won the African Nations' Cup earlier this year, were two goals behind at the interval.

Spain, the 1992 gold medallists, had opened the scoring after just 90 seconds when Xavi curled a free-kick over the wall, and substitute Gabri made it two with the last touch of the first half.

Cameroon halved the deficit shortly into the second half when Amaya deflected Patrick Mboma's cross into his own net, and Real Madrid's Samuel Eto'o equalised five minutes later from close range.

Gabri was sent off in the 70th minute for a rash challenge on Nicolas Alnoudji, and Jose Mari was dismissed for diving in the dying seconds of normal time.

Spain's coach, Inaki Saez Ruiz, complained: "The referee cannot be as strict as he was in the final of the Olympic Games."

The "Indomitable Lions" should have won in extra time, but excellent saves from Aranzubia allowed the Spaniards to hold out.

In the last minute of extra time Eto'o found the net, only to have the score disallowed when he was adjudged to have been inches offside.

The victors also received more tangible reward from a Cameroon businessman, who had promised them a NZ$150,000 bonus if they struck gold.

- INDEPENDENT