Mali started the better of the two sides, Bakary Sako saw his shot tipped away by Fabrice Ondoa on the 10 minute mark. Mali went close again before half-time as Ondoa kept out Mustapha Yatabare's header.
Yatabare looked to be the most likely to score, but he and his team-mates were finding it hard to break through the Cameroon back line marshalled by Aurelien Chedjou and Marseille's Nicolas Nkoulou, a flourishing partnership. Yatabare came close on two occasions, heading Sakho's cross wide with the goal at his mercy. The Wolves man came close himself firing a shot just wide. Mali just couldn't put the ball in the net.
It was Yatabare's younger brother who broke the deadlock for Mali in the 71st minute, his controlled half-volley beat Ondea at the far past.Mali failed to hang onto the three points though, and five minutes from time, right back Ambroise Oyongo controlled well from Raoul Loe's delivery and tucked the ball into the back of the net past Diakite to give Cameroon a share of the points. Even then Mali thought they had snatched a late winner but Sambou Yatabare's header was ruled out offside in the 90th minute. There was still time for Eric Choupo-Moting to be brought down by Diakite inside the penalty area but the offside flag had already been raised by the officials as Mali survived a late scare.
The match was the fifth 1-1 draw in the opening eight group games and left Group D all square.