DOHA: Cameroon upset much-changed Brazil 1-0 but in vain as Switzerland’s 3-2 victory over bottom-ranked Serbia powered them to progress into the Round of 16 of the ongoing FIFA World Cup 2022.
Switzerland became the last team to qualify for the Round of 16 with leaders Portugal following their nervy 3-2 victory over Serbia that powered them to finish second in Group G.
Xherdan Shaqiri opened the scoring in the 20th minute when Djibril Sow passed the ball to Shaqiri, who smashed home with his left foot to put Switzerland ahead.
Switzerland’s early lead, however, could not last longer as Aleksander Mitrovic soon fired an equalizer to keep Serbia in the hunt.
Serbia then turned things around and took the lead ten minutes later when Shaqiri gave the ball away in midfield and Dusan Tadic slipped the ball to Dusan Vlahovic who fired back across the goal to put Serbia ahead of Switzerland.
Switzerland were quick to respond and equalised a minute before the break as Sow picked out Silvan Widmer in acres of space on the right and Breel Embolo turned in his driven low cross.
Three minutes into the second half, a team effort goal allowed Switzerland to retake the lead when Shaqiri clipped in a delicate ball after Embolo won it back high up, and Ruben Vargas’s cushioned backheel left Remo Freuler to guide in from around the penalty spot.
Meanwhile, in another Group G match, Cameroon stunned much-changed Brazil 1-0 to become the first African side to beat the five-time champions Brazil but to no avail as they finished behind Switzerland with four points.
Vincent Aboubakar connected substitute Jerome Ngom Mbekeli’s cross and executed a scintillating header in the stoppage time to break the deadlock which was enough for Cameroon to seal a historic win.
Cameroon recorded a famous win but Switzerland’s 3-2 win over Serbia at the same time meant the Swiss advanced from Group G along with already-qualified Brazil.
Having won their opening two group stage matches, Brazil topped the group with six points despite enduring an upset defeat from Cameroon and will face South Korea in the last 16 when several of their important players who were rested for this game will return.
The upset defeat against Cameroon marked Brazil’s first defeat in the group stages of a world cup after 1998 when they lost to Norway.
Meanwhile, Switzerland, who finished as the runners-up of Group G will take on Cristiano Ronaldo’s Portugal on Wednesday.
