Preview on Indomitable Lions 

For a while now, the West African side have not lived up to their billing as indomitable Lions. 

Cameroon lost all three group games in South Africa, had their national football federation suspended by FIFA in July last year due  to “government interference”, and saw their best player and captain accuse his team-mates of conspiring to ensure that the ball was not passed to him during a World Cup qualifier. 

Among questions begging for answers now are: Can the Indomitable Lions get a point in the group stage and improve on their 2010 performance?  And Can Eto’o is the 21st century Roger Milla? Time will certainly tell.

 Cameroon’s Group A contenders, Mexico are 20th on the FIFA ranking and have made 14 appearances at the world cup.

 They fell in the Round of 16 on their last five appearances in the finals, with Argentina halting their progress at both Germany 2006 and South Africa 2010.

 Only twice have the Mexicans made it to the quarter finals, both time on their home soil, in 1970 and 1986. Prior to lifting the coveted Trophy in South Africa, so frequent were their exits at the last eight of the finals that Spain were said to be suffering from a ‘quarter-final jinx’.

 Brazil 2014 will be the Spaniards tenth consecutive world CUP finals appearance, and 14th in all.  

Ranked 15th with nine appearances, the Netherlands won their way through to the Final in 1974, only to lose out to hosts Germany.

Four years on, their revolutionary Total Football again took them to the showpiece, but history repeated itself as they suffered another defeat to the host nation, succumbing 3-1 in Buenos Zaaris.

 The Oranje then experienced their Final heartbreak for a third time in Johannesburg, coming within four minutes of taking Spain to penalties before their dreams were crushed.

 The Netherlands all-time leading scorer Robin van Persie will be a key part of his country's hopes to go one step further in Brazil.

 With eight FIFA World Cups to their credit, Chile is level with Paraguay in fourth place on the list of South American nations that have appeared at most editions of the world event.

 To date, their best performance has been a third place, as host nation in 1962.

 They have on five other occasions failed to make it to the knock out stages, but managed to get to the round of 16 during France 1998 and South Africa 2010.

 Sadly enough, Brazil showed them the exit on both occasions. Chile’s Group B partners tonight, Australia, are ranked 62 with three appearances.

 At Germany 2006, the Socceroos’ qualified for the Round of 16 before narrowly falling to eventual champions Italy. 

The German theme continued at South Africa 2010 although this time Australia suffered a 4-0 loss against the European giants in a score line which ultimately ruined their progress.

 A ten-man 1-1 draw against Ghana and a 2-1 win against Serbia saw the Aussies eliminated on goal difference, three goals off the proud Africans.

It is hoped that followers of the soccer mundial will have a rather more exciting evening, on world cup day two, with the second Group A and two Group B matches in the offing.