BLOEMFONTEIN, South Africa (AFP) — Japan beat a lacklustre Cameroon 1-0 in Bloemfontein yesterday through a Keisuke Honda goal to notch their first ever World Cup victory on foreign soil.

The Blue Samurai, struggling for goals in the run-up to the tournament, took the lead in the 39th minute and held on for the remainder of the match despite increasing pressure from the African side in the second half.

Neither side looked capable of breaking the deadlock in a scrappy first half in which clear chances were in short supply until Daisuke Matsui manoeuvred the ball onto his left foot and delivered an inswinging cross from the right.

The ball somehow eluded several Cameroon defenders and the unmarked Honda stabbed it past the despairing dive of Hamidou Souleymanou to give Japan the lead.

Honda, who turned 24 on Sunday, scooped the man-of-the-match award as a late birthday present.

Japan coach Takeshi Okada praised his players but said it was only one step towards qualification and at the final whistle his focus was on the next game against the Netherlands — who beat Denmark 2-0 earlier yesterday — on Saturday.

“Today our players have really done a good job,” he said, but added the team needed to be more aggressive in attack.

“In the next game we will be up against the Netherlands, so we will have to go one step further and this is the first win on foreign soil in the World Cup for our team, but this is not an achievement at all. What’s coming next is the point,” he said.

Disappointed Cameroon coach Paul Le Guen said his team had not played to their potential.

“I regret that the players were not able to play at the level they could. In the second half they fought but there was a lack of order in their fight,” the Frenchman said.

“I think we were too nervous during the first half.

“We lost many, many easy balls and that’s why I’m disappointed because when you feel your team is not at its best level you are frustrated,” he added.

After the turgid first half Cameroon went close to an equaliser just four minutes into the second period when Eric Choupo Moting fired wide following good work on the right by Inter Milan star Samuel Eto’o.

It was the first significant contribution from three times African player of the year Eto’o, who struggled to make an impact on the game after being deployed in a deep-lying role.

Despite a more open game in the second half, the goalkeepers remained relatively untroubled in the early stages.

As Cameroon continued to press for an equaliser they threw on Achille Emana, Mohamadou Idrissou and veteran Geremi but could still not find a way past the dogged Japanese defence.

Japan came close to doubling their lead as time ran out, with substitute Shinji Okazaki, on for Matsui, hitting the post after a fierce shot by captain Makoto Hasebe was parried by Souleymanou.

With just five minutes remaining Stephane Mbia let fly with a thunderbolt from 25 yards that rattled the Japan crossbar, but they could not find a way past Japan goalkeeper Eiji Kawashima.

Pierre Webo got his foot on a cross as the clock ticked down but Kawashima made a fine scrambling save.

Earlier, in cool conditions at the high-altitude Free State stadium the crowd whipped up a lively atmosphere despite banks of empty white seats but neither side could settle into a rhythm.

Japan’s goal came moments after Cameroon hit the first shot of the game on target, with Eyong Enoh hitting the ball straight at Kawashima.