England 2 Cameroon 2
Robbie Fowler grabbed a last-gasp equaliser as England completed their World Cup warm-up programme with a battling draw against Cameroon in Kobe.
Cameroon looked set to become the first African side to defeat England when Geremi fired home a 57th minute free-kick.
But, after Trevor Sinclair had produced a stunning stop from Alioum with a near post header, Fowler salvaged the situation by nodding home from six yards after he had been set up by Teddy Sheringham.
However, the game raised more questions than answers for Sven-Goran Eriksson.
Darius Vassell - one of few bright sparks in a generally dull encounter - was on target after 11 minutes to level Samuel Eto'o's early strike.
But with Michael Owen a muted force up front and Joe Cole failing to take full advantage of his first international start, England lacked attacking invention.
The absence of David Seaman was again keenly felt and with fresh doubts over the fitness of skipper David Beckham, the signs are not brilliant ahead of the opening Group F clash with Sweden next Sunday.
Eriksson will feel his team can improve but they will have to if they are to make any impression on the competition.
Paul Scholes impressed in setting up Vassell's leveller but Owen Hargreaves disappointed after an excellent display against South Korea last Tuesday.
The defence looked shaky at times too, even Rio Ferdinand being dragged into the general malaise, and found it difficult to cope with the physical threat of the double African Nations champions, and Sunderland on-loan striker Patrick Mboma in particular.
If Eriksson has a few problems, watching Irish coach Mick McCarthy's difficulties are increasing too. With his best player dispatched in disgrace to Manchester, McCarthy saw opponents his side will attempt to overcome on Saturday maintain a record which has seen them lose just once in their last 15 outings.
With injuries ravaging his plans, Eriksson made three changes, with Cole starting on the left before switching to a central position after the interval. Wes Brown was given a chance to press his claims for a right-back spot, while Wayne Bridge profited from Ashley Cole's minor knee ligament strain.
Cole started brightly with one dart down the left but, worryingly for both Eriksson and McCarthy, Cameroon opened the English defence inside five minutes.
Brown was caught marginally out of position as Mboma floated a crossfield pass to the Cameroon left. Pierre Wome used the extra space to fire a cross-shot over Nigel Martyn, who retained his place as Seaman struggles to overcome a hamstring problem.
The Leeds keeper was static as the ball looped over his head and cannoned off the far post straight into the path of unmarked Samuel Eto'o who stroked home the rebound from six yards.
For a team whose arrival in the Far East turned into a logistical nightmare, it was an amazing start. The Cameroon squad had spent much of the week in airport terminals, including a 10-hour spell on the tarmac in Bombay but the double African Nations champions did not seem to be too rusty as England continued to struggle.
Apart from the physical threat of Emile Heskey, England were out of the game, so it came as something of a surprise when they drew level.
Scholes was on hand to gather up the loose ball when skipper Michael Owen lost possession 30 yards out. The Manchester United man casually stroked a pass to Darius Vassell in space and he transferred to his right foot and steered confidently into the corner from 15 yards.
Owen was then denied by a surprise offside flag after Cameroon keeper Alioum had dropped an Emile Heskey flick-on at the feet of the England's most lethal finisher.
Eriksson's side seemed to have been drawn into a more open contest than they might have wished and after Ferdinand had needlessly given away a corner, Rigobert Song was marginally wide with a difficult near post heading opportunity.
Thankfully, the kind of erratic tackling Cameroon had produced during the African Nations Cup was not in evidence - until Song caught Vassell on the ear with one elaborate swipe for the ball.
Gareth Southgate had taken over as captain as Eriksson made six changes at the break. But it was the Middlesbrough defender's handball as he tried to prevent Mboma charging through which gave Cameroon the free-kick from which they took the lead a second time.
New keeper David James crouched behind a five-man wall but appeared to be late getting across to Geremi's near-perfect strike which cannoned off the right hand post.
Cameroon were starting to get a grip on the game and Mboma almost sneaked onto Eric Djemba's pass before the Sunderland man unleashed a shot on the Africans' next attack which forced James into a low save.
After collecting enough Air Miles to fund a space voyage, Sinclair rose high again, this time in a more conventional manner to meet Owen Hargreaves' corner with a near post flick which brought a superb stop from Alioum.
England continued to press to the last and just when the game looked over, grabbed the leveller when Fowler pounced onto Sheringham's looping header.
At least defeat had been avoided but a lot of hard graft lies ahead for Eriksson's boys.