Eto'o equals record as Cameroon cruise

The defending champions Egypt kept up their goalscoring form at the African Nations Cup with a 3-0 win over Sudan that was overshadowed by a record-equalling penalty kick by Cameroon's Samuel Eto'o on Saturday.

Eto'o netted the fourth of five goals as Cameroon crushed Zambia 5-1 in the first of the two Group C matches here, matching the 38-year-old record for the most number of tournament goals by a single player. The striker's third goal of the tournament in Ghana brought his overall tally to 14, equalling the mark set by Laurent Pokou of the Ivory Coast in 1970. The runaway win for Cameroon restored their chances after they had lost 4-2 to Egypt earlier in the week.

The holders overcame a determined Sudan in their derby match, leading at half-time with a Hosni Abd Rabou penalty and adding two more in quick succession through the substitute, Mohamed Aboutrika, after the break. Sudan provided a spirited show early on but after goalkeeper Mahjoub El Moez conceded a penalty with a clumsy foul on the half-hour, the Egyptians took control.

In the earlier match at the Baba Yara stadium Geremi, Joseph-Desire Job and Achille Emana scored before the interval as Cameroon ran riot against Zambia in the face of some terrible defending. Job got one more late on before Chris Katongo pulled a goal back in the final minute.

A clumsy challenge from Kennedy Nketani on the edge of the area allowed Geremi to open the scoring with a free-kick in the 28th minute. Two defenders then missed a long ball from deep in Cameroon's half to give Job an easy tap-in for the second three minutes later. Emana claimed the third in the 43rd minute when Isaac Chansa tried to clear but only managed to direct the ball into the striker's path. Eto'o netted the fourth from the spot after Billy Mwanza handled trying to stop his free-kick.

Cameroon's fifth goal was another comic affair when Clive Hachilensa's back-pass caught his goalkeeper Kennedy Mweene out of position and Job walked the ball into the net.

Confederation of African Football officials are to investigate match-fixing claims at the tournament after members of the Namibia squad followed Benin coach, Reinhard Fabisch, in claiming they had been offered money to throw matches. The Namibia players have claimed that they were approached to fix their final group game against Guinea, and Fabisch said he was approached before his side's opening game with Mali.

Arsenal's Ivory Coast defender Kolo Touré has been ruled out of tomorrow's match against Mali after suffering a groin strain.

Touré was carried off on a stretcher on Friday just before half-time in his team's 4-1 triumph over Benin, a result that secured the Ivorians a place in the quarter-finals.