Cameroon will unleash Samuel Eto'o against a Japanese side struggling in front of goal as the "Indomitable Lions" launch their World Cup bid on Monday.

No African team boasts more experience than Paul Le Guen's Cameroon, whose appearance in South Africa is a record sixth at a World Cup for an African nation and who will revel in "home" support.

Cameroon, the first African side to reach the World Cup quarter-finals in 1990, hope Eto'o - three-time African Footballer of the Year - can inspire them in the same way as 38-year-old Roger Milla did in Italy two decades ago.

The Inter Milan player has enjoyed a stellar two seasons, winning the "Treble" of European Cup, league and national cup for Barcelona in 2009 and Inter this year under now-departed coach Jose Mourinho.

However, 29-year-old Eto'o does not enter the finals in top spirits having even hinted he might pull-out after criticism from Milla about his contribution to the national side - thankfully for the 'Indomitable Lions' the Inter star did not take it any further than that.

Eto'o, who rivals Ivory Coast's Didier Drogba as the best striker from Africa, is likely to be joined in the starting line-up by midfielder Alexandre Song of Arsenal.

Le Guen has said his World Cup squad is one loaded with potential and the ability to make it through a tough Group E, which also includes the Netherlands and Denmark.

"I am confident, I have a feeling that the players are really on the path to achieving their goal," Le Guen said, though the former Lyon, Rangers and PSG coach admitted the group was "complicated and difficult".

Cameroon have not had the best run-up to world football's showpiece event, losing to Serbia and Portugal and struggling to a draw against World Cup debutants Slovakia in their warm-up games.

But they will face a Japan side in Bloemfontein on Monday in a trough after a string of poor performances in which the Blue Samurai have netted only once in five games.

In their last warm-up match Japan fought out a disappointing goalless stalemate against Zimbabwe after a run of four successive defeats in which they managed just one goal through Marcus Tulio Tanaka in a 2-1 defeat by England.

Their poor run has given further ammunition to those who have criticised coach Takeshi Okada's claim that they have a chance to reach the semi-finals.

Japan, three-time Asian champions, admit Cameroon, who can be physically intimidating, will be a tough proposition but say they will stick to their attacking style based on short passing.

"We can't change that. It's impossible to employ long balls all of sudden," Okada said.

Wolfsburg midfielder Makoto Hasebe, who captained Japan against England and Ivory Coast, conceded that scoring had been a problem but remains upbeat.

"I believe we will surely have a good chance to beat Cameroon as they have yet to hit top form. But they are not a side whom we can beat easily. In any way, we will go to the first match in 100 percent condition."

CSKA Moscow midfielder Keisuke Honda is expected to operate as a lone striker in the opener while former Celtic playmaker Shunsuke Nakamura, though no longer the top star, is eager to prove his worth, likely from the bench.

KEY TO MATCH

Samuel Eto'o v Japan's attack

Cameroon boast one of the world's top strikers in Inter Milan's Samuel Eto'o. Last month the former Barcelona star added a third European Cup to his bulging medals cabinet. Japan, on the other hand, are currently toothless up front, having managed just one goal in their past five fixtures.

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