Despite 4-0 Victory Over Cameroon, Soviets Go Home Bitter

The Soviet Union dominated from the start, scoring twice in each half to defeat Cameroon, 4-0, in World Cup play Monday night. Cameroon already was assured of advancing to the second round from Group B.

Only the top three teams in each group are eligible to advance and both Romania, which placed second, and Argentina moved on with three points apiece after playing to a 1-1 tie Monday.

Valery Lobanovsky, who said he will resign as Soviet coach after the World Cup, still was upset about a 2-0 loss to Argentina in which a hand ball in front of the Argentine goal by Diego Maradona was not called. The Soviet soccer federation protested to FIFA, the international governing body for soccer.

“Tonight’s victory did not take away the bitter taste of the earlier defeats,” Lobanovsky said. “It is a shame we cannot continue in the championship.”

As for Cameroon’s sloppy effort, its coach hoped it provided a wake-up call.

“A defeat is always a very good lesson,” Valery Nepomnyashchy said. “I think my side is an intelligent team, and an intelligent team cannot make gross mistakes two times in a row. I hope today’s defeat will bring our players back to the ground.”

It was the first World Cup loss for Cameroon, which had three ties in 1982 but did not advance. It has beaten Argentina and Romania in this tournament.

Stephen Tataw, the Cameroon captain, said the defeat might reduce the pressure on his team.

“A defeat makes people ask themselves questions about what went wrong and forces them to look for solutions,” he said.

Oleg Protasov and Andrei Zygmantovich beat Cameroon goalie Thomas Nkono in the first half, and substitute Alexander Zavarov and Igor Dobrovolsky scored after the break.

In the first half, Zygmantovich passed to Protasov in the 21st minute for the first Soviet goal of the tournament. It came shortly after Cameroon midfielder Cyrille Makanaky left the field because of a leg injury, putting his side a man down.

Zygmantovich scored 11 minutes later when Sergei Aleinikov moved in alone from the left, dribbled past Nkono and put a shot off the crossbar. The Soviet midfielder dived to score off the rebound.