BY SCOTT FRENCH IN CANBERRA, AUSTRALIA The U.S. men continued their stunning run toward a quarterfinal berth Saturday night, dominating medal favorite Cameroon for long stretches before settling for a 1-1 draw in a Group C showdown at Bruce Stadium. Peter Vagenas converted a 64th-minute penalty kick and the Americans’ multifaceted attack frustrated a more fancied opponent for the second time in four nights as Clive Charles’ squad moved within one victory — Tuesday night in Melbourne against surprising Kuwait — of advancing from the group stage for the first time. Kuwait (1-1) upset the Czech Republic (0-1-1), 3-2, in Brisbane, making Tuesday’s encounter at the Melbourne Cricket Ground a showdown for a berth in the Sydney Games quarterfinals. The Americans (0-0-2) need to win to advance. Cameroon (1-0-1) meets the Czechs in Brisbane in the other match. Josh Wolff, Conor Casey and Chris Albright came close to scoring nearly a dozen times as the Yanks — outclassed by a bigger, stronger, more technically adept opponent during the first 20 minutes or so — took charge in the second half behind a superb performance by central midfielder John O’Brien. “We had a lot of chances, and we know that,” Charles said afterward, “but you have to understand: The hardest thing in the world is to score a goal. And they come in bunches. As long as we continue creating chances, eventually we’re going to start putting things away. “I thought the team showed a lot of courage tonight, and a lot of character, against a team that is extremely dangerous. I think we matched them, and certainly we created enough chances to win tonight.” Goalkeeper Brad Friedel did well to twice deny Cameroon striker Patrick Mboma, and Danny Califf — again starting in place of injured captain Brian Dunseth — led a defensive unit that prevented the Indomitable Lions from getting the most from their world-class talent. Mboma scored Cameroon’s goal in the 16th minute, beating Friedel with a penalty kick after Lauren Mayer — the MVP of the African Nations Cup earlier this year — was fouled in the U.S. box by Jeff Agoos following a long run. Ben Olsen had tried, and failed, to stop Lauren’s momentum at the edge of the penalty area, but the Lions midfielder was happy to hit the turf when challenged by Agoos. It was the second penalty kick the Americans have surrendered in the competition. The first enabled the Czech Republic to carve out a 2-2 tie in a tournament opener on Wednesday night. The Americans outshot their foe, 20-9, and might have scored a half-dozen goals, maybe more, with a little more luck. Wolff was particularly snakebit, firing limply after beating an offside trap in the 32nd minute and firing wildly when presented with a superb opportunity in the 45th. It was Wolff who set up Vagenas’ spot kick after a feed from Casey. Cameroon goalkeeper Daniel Bekono, who made several tremendous saves, came out to challenge the striker high and to the left in the box. Wolff pushed the ball past the keeper and went down when there was contact. Chilean referee Mario Sanchez didn’t hesitate in pointing to the spot, and Vagenas read Bekono’s movement and fired into the lower-right corner. The Yanks had several chances to score in the minutes that followed, the best after Agoos split two defenders with a pass to Olsen running into the box from the left. Olsen sent the ball to the middle, and Wolff’s shots were halted by Bekono and then defender Serge Mimbo. Bekono then dived to save an Albright header on the ensuing corner kick. Bekono also made a diving stop of a Casey shot from Albright’s service from the right. In Brisbane, the Czechs led at halftime on Marek Heinz’s second-minute goal, but Kuwait took charge in the second half as Faraj Saeid netted a pair of goals after Khalaf Almutairi evened things. Roman Lengyel added a stoppage-time goal for the Czech Republic. Italy (2-0) qualified for the quarterfinals out of Group A, scoring three times in 11 minutes en route to a 3-2 victory over Honduras (0-1-1) in Adelaide. Gianni Comandini had a hat trick of sorts, scoring twice for the Azzurri — in the 12th and 22nd minutes — then depositing an own goal for Honduras in the 29th. Massimo Ambrosini also tallied for Italy. Nigeria (1-0-1) eliminated Australia (0-2) from medals contention, eking out a 3-2 victory in Sydney on Victor Agali’s 64th-minute goal. The Eagles jumped to a 2-0 lead after 22 minutes on tallies by Pius Ikedia and Julius Aghahowa, but Hayden Foxe and Kasey Wehrman scored just before halftime as the Olyroos rallied to tie. In Saturday’s opener in Canberra, Birgit Prinz scored superb goals seven minutes apart in the first half as Germany (2-0) qualified for the women’s semifinals with a 2-1 Group E victory over Brazil (1-1). Raquel scored Brazil’s goal in the 72nd minute, two minutes after coming on for Cidinha, with a 22-yard left-footed blast. Australia (0-1-1) and Sweden (0-1-1) drew, 1-1, in the other women’s match. Cheryl Salisbury fired the Matildas ahead in the 57th minute, and Malin Andersson evened things with a penalty kick nine minutes later, after Dianne Alagich fouled Hanna Ljungberg in the penalty area. The U.S. women return to Group F action Sunday, meeting China at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in a rematch of the 1996 Olympic and 1999 Women’s World Cup finals. Spain and Chile face off in a men’s Group B clash in the nightcap. U.S. GAME SUMMARY — SATURDAY, SEPT. 16 AT CANBERRA USA 1 Cameroon 1. Goals: Vagenas 64 (pen.); Mboma 16 (pen.). USA — Friedel; Hejduk, McCarty, Califf, Agoos; O’Brien, Olsen, Albright, Vagenas; Casey, Wolff. Cameroon — Bekono; Mimpo, Nguimbat, Abanda; Njitap, Lauren, Alnoudji, Epalle (Ngome, 65), Wome; Mboma (Mbami, 77), Eto’o. Yellow cards — Mimpo 41, Wome 69. Referee — Mario Sanchez (Chile). Att. — 22,379. Other Group C result Czech Republic 2 Kuwait 3. Goals: Heinz 2, Lengyel 91; Almutairi 56, Saeid 64, 73. Tuesday’s games USA vs. Kuwait at Melbourne Czech Republic vs. Cameroon at Brisbane SATURDAY’S OTHER RESULTS Men’s soccer Group A Australia 2 Nigeria 3. Goals: Foxe 41, Wehrman 44; Ikedia 16, Aghahowa 22, Agali 64. Italy 3 Honduras 1. Goals: Comandini 12, 22, Ambrosini 18; own goal Comandini 29. Women’s soccer Group E Germany 2 Brazil 1. Goals: Prinz 33, 41; Raquel 72. Australia 1 Sweden 1. Goals: Salisbury 57; Andersson 66 (pen).