By PA Sport Staff

Cameroon beat nine-man Spain 5-3 on penalties in a thrilling climax to the men's Olympic football tournament in Sydney.

Spain, who had two players sent off during normal time which finished at 2-2, hung on bravely through 30 minutes of extra-time to force the match into a penalty shoot-out.

But their hopes of victory were shattered when defender Amaya, who had already scored an own goal, hit the bar with his side's third effort.

After Arsenal midfielder Lauren and Albelda had successfully converted from the spot, Cameroon sweeper Pierre Wome sent goalkeeper Aranzubia the wrong way to earn his country its first ever gold medal and keep the Olympic title in Africa after Nigeria's historic triumph four years ago in Atlanta.

"It is not the way you really want to win. We would have preferred to have won in extra-time," said Cameroon coach Jean-Paul Akono.

"It was very difficult going in at half-time two goals down and if the team did not have great morale we would not have been able to come back."

Cameroon, who won the African Nations Cup earlier this year, were two goals behind at the interval.

Spain, the 1992 gold medallists, had made the perfect start, opening the scoring after just 90 seconds when Xavi curled a free-kick over the wall and substitute Gabri made it two with the last touch of the first half.

Cameroon halved the deficit shortly into the second half when Patrick Mboma's cross was deflected into his own net by Amaya, and Samuel Eto'O Fils sent the 98,212 crowd wild when he equalised.

Substitute Gabri was sent off in the 70th minute for a rash challenge on Nicolas Alnoudji - gesturing to the crowd who booed him as he left the pitch - and Jose Mari was dismissed for diving in the dying seconds of normal time.

Spain coach Inaki Saez Ruiz claimed the red cards changed the game. "The referee cannot be as strict as he was in the final of the Olympic Games," he said.

With such a numerical advantage, the 'Indomitable Lions' should have won the game in extra-time but some excellent saves from Aranzubia allowed the Spaniards to hold out for the lottery of the penalty shoot-out.

Akono played down suggestions that Africa's second Olympic title pointed to the continent claiming the World Cup in the near future.

"It is the natural progression for an African side to win the World Cup but not straight away," he said. "The African countries must be better organised and more professional in their approach.

"We have won three African Nations Cups and now we have won the Olympics. That is not a chance that is given to everybody and it is magnificent."

AFP