Cameroon striker Mboma celebrates his three-goal haul

Patrick Mboma scored a hat-trick as Cameroon eased towards the quarter-finals with a 5-3 win over Zimbabwe.

Peter Ndlovu headed Zimbabwe into a shock lead but Mboma swivelled to level then set up Modeste Mbami.

Mboma struck from close range before half-time but Ndlovu gave Zimbabwe hope with a well-struck penalty.

But a well-worked goal gave Mboma his hat-trick and Mbami struck a brilliant second before Esrom Nyandoro hit the goal of the game for some consolation.

The goal feast boosted the defending champions' hopes of reaching the quarter-finals.

We conceded a goal at the start of the match so it wasn't easy for us Cameroon coach Winfried Schaefer

It was six years ago in Burkina Faso the Cup of Nations last saw such a high scoring game when Burkina Faso were held to a 4-4 draw by Congo Democratic Republic.

Cameroon got off to a shaky start as Ndlovu headed the opener for the newcomers from a William Mugeyi cross.

But Zimbabwe lost their lead when Mboma levelled for Cameroon and then returned a quick pass to Mbami, whose shot put the holders in front.

Then, before half-time, Mboma bundled in from close range to give his side some breathing space at the interval.

We played a great match but we conceded five goals as the defence was not strong Zimbabwe captain Peter Ndlovu

A minute into the second half, Zimbabwe won a penalty after Rigobert Song committed a foul in the box.

Ndlovu scored his second from the spot, despite Cameroon goalkeeper Carlos Kameni diving the right way.

Cameroon revived and became confident, even though the Zimbabweans never creating chances.

It was in one of their adventurous advances that Esrom Nyandoro fired from outside the box to the top corner toward the end to make the score respectable.

By then, however, Mboma had completed his hat-trick when he tapped home Atouba's cross from close range to complete a flowing move.

Mbami hit his second of the game with a powerful volley outside the box.

Cameroon: 1-Idriss Carlos Kameni; 3-Bill Tchato, 4-Rigobert Song, 5-Timothee Atouba, 2-Jean-Joel Perrier Doumbe; 8-Geremi, 19-Eric Djemba Djemba, 14-Jean Makoun, 7-Modeste Mbami; 9-Samuel Eto'o, 10-Patrick Mboma

Zimbabwe: 1-Energy Murambadoro; 2-Dumisani Mpofu, 5-Dazzy Kapenya, 14-George Mbwando, 22-Dixon Choto; 3-Esrom Nyandoro, 11-Charles Yohane, 10-Wilfred Mugeyi, 20-Tinashe Nengomasha; 21-Joel Luphahla, 12-Peter Ndlovu

Referee: Abubakar Sharaf (Ivory Coast)