Cameroon finally got their African Nations Cup campaign up and running at the second attempt on Saturday, crushing Zambia 5-1 with Samuel Eto'o matching the all-time scoring record.
In Saturday's other Group C game title-holders Egypt followed up their opening win over Cameroon with a smooth 3-0 success against Nile neighbors Sudan, a result that all but ensures the Pharoahs' presence in the quarter-finals.
At Baba Yara Stadium four-time champions Cameroon went to town, aided by disastrous Zambian defending, to put the wheels firmly back on their Nations Cup bid ahead of their remaining group game with Sudan.
PHOTO: AP
Geremi Njitap, Desire Job and Achilles Emana had Otto Pfister's men firmly in control by half time, with Eto'o getting his 14th goal in the competition from the penalty spot in the 65th minute.
That put the Barcelona striker on a par with Ivorian Laurent Pokou.
Cameroon scored their fifth goal as Job slotted home in the 81st minute for his second of the night before Christopher Katongo netted a consolation goal for Zambia in the 89th minute.
PHOTO: AFP
German-born Pfister hailed his team for getting back on course after the 4-2 loss to Egypt.
"We won the game but we still have a lot of work to do," Pfister said. "We lost our first game to Egypt because we lacked discipline on the pitch but we have made up for this now."
His Zambian counterpart Patrick Phiri said he was disappointed with his defense for gifting their opponents goals.
"We prepared well for this tournament in Spain, Tunisia and Morocco and the defense is our strongest department but for the first time since I took charge of the team a year and half ago, they let us down," Phiri said.
"Cameroon were lucky because we created all the goals for them. Probably my players were scared of the big names of Cameroon," he said.
In the later game, Egypt's two-goal hero against Cameroon Hosny Abd Rabou continued where he left off when he converted a 27th minute penalty after he was brought down by goalkeeper Mahgoub Elmuez.
Al Ahly star Mohamed Aboutrika grabbed the second goal on 77 minutes before he added a third five minutes later when he ran into the box off another counter-attack and beat Elmuez by the near post.
"Sudan came out to win so that they could still be in with a chance in this competition. We did not control the game at the start but gradually dominated the midfield and this was what gave us our victory," Rabou said.
Sudan forward Faisat Agab said: "We have learnt a lot from our two matches but will want to get something when we play against Cameroon in our last game."
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