Japan have won their first World Cup match outside of Asia, defeating Cameroon 1-0 in Bloemfontein.

Group EJapan: 1 (Keisuke Honda 39') Cameroon: 0

Venue: Free State Stadium - Bloemfontein Crowd: 35,000 Referee: Olegario Benquerenca (POR) Yellow cards:JPN - nil CMR - Nicolas N'Koulou 72', Benoit Assou Ekotto 90+1'

In a hardfought contest, Japan took the lead six minutes before half-time when Keisuke Honda stabbed home from close range after a Daisuke Matsui cross found its way to the back post past Cameroon defenders.

Cameroon enjoyed more possession and more shots on goal for the main part but could not claw their way back into the match as a determined Japanese team were doing their utmost to maintain their lead.

For the final 20 minutes, Cameroon boss Paul Le Guen threw men forward in a bid to find an equaliser and it almost paid off when Stephane M'bia let fly from outside the area but his shot rattled the crossbar and the win for the Asian nation was secured when Eiji Kawashima produced a stunning save after Pierre Webo looked to have turned in the leveller in the dying moments.

Starting Line-Ups

JPN Eiji Kawashima (gk), Yuki Abe, Yuichi Komano, Marcus Tulio Tanaka, Yuto Nagatomo, Yasuhito Endo, Daisuke Matsui (Okazaki 69'), Yoshito Okubo (Yano 82'), Makoto Hasebe (Inamoto 88'), Keisuke Honda, Yuji Nakazawa

Subs - Shinji Okazaki (69'), Kisho Yano (82'), Junichi Inamoto (88')

CMR Souleymanou Hamidou (gk), Benoit Assou Ekotto, Nicolas N'Koulou, Sebastien Bassong, Samuel Eto'o, Jean Makoun (Geremi 75'), Eric Choupo-Moting (Idrissou 75'), Pierre Webo, Eyong Enoh, Stephan M'bia, Joel Matip (Emana 63')

Subs - Achille Emana (63'), Geremi Njitap (75'), Mahamadou Idrissou (75')