like any good goal scorer, Mario Mandzukic was in the right place at the right time. Twice. The Croatia striker returned from suspension on Wednesday and scored the final two goals in a 4-0 World Cup rout of an undermanned Cameroon.
“I was well prepared and had more time to prepare because I missed the first game,” said Mandzukic, who got a red card in the playoffs and missed the opening match. “I don’t want to think too much about goals. We wanted to win, and the goals came as a reward.”
Cameroon started the Group A match without the injured Sameul Eto’o, and finished it without midfielder Alex Song, who was given a red card in the 40th minute for elbowing Mandzukic in the back in an off-the-ball incident.
Things got even more bizarre in injury time as the frustration within the team boiled over when Benoit Assou-Ekotto head-butted teammate Benjamin Moukandjo in front of their goal. “It’s unimaginable. I saw this happen and I need to find out exactly what happened, why exactly these two players exploded,” Cameroon coach Volker Finke said. “I really hate to see that. It’s not the image of Cameroon I want to project.”
The result puts Croatia right back in the mix for a spot in the second round. If the 1998 semifinalists beat Mexico on Monday, they will guarantee themselves another match in Brazil. The Mexicans will advance with only a draw.