Cameroon striker Vincent Aboubakar got here off the bench to attain one purpose and arrange one other because the Indomitable Lions rescued some extent of their 3-3 draw with Serbia on Monday that ended a run of eight successive World Cup losses for the African facet.
The roller-coaster Group G fixture leaves each side on a single level from their two video games, nonetheless simply in rivalry for a final 16 place, though Cameroon should face Brazil of their last match on Friday, whereas Serbia tackle Switzerland.
Jean-Charles Castelletto gave Cameroon the lead simply earlier than the half-hour mark, however a quick-fire double on the finish of the primary interval from Strahinja Pavlovic and the vastly spectacular Sergej Milinkovic-Savic swung the sport in Serbia’s favour.
When Aleksandar Mitrovic added one other early within the second interval his facet regarded in full management and cruising to a win.
However Aboubakar, who top-scored on the Africa Cup of Nations finals earlier this 12 months, turned the sport round when he got here off the bench.
He netted a fantastic solo purpose with an audacious chip over the keeper to cut back the deficit, earlier than breaking ahead and crossing to Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting to smash within the equaliser three minutes later.
It was Serbia who had began the brighter, nevertheless. After Mitrovic had floated a header over the bar, he struck the publish when his fast footwork created a taking pictures likelihood from a good angle.
He had one other enormous alternative when Cameroon made a hash of clearing their strains and the ball fell to him eight yards out with the entire purpose to intention at, however he fired vast.
Cameroon took the lead from a set-piece after Serbia had needlessly conceded a nook. Castelletto bought on the top of Nicolas N’Koulou’s flick to faucet residence on the again publish.
Serbia levelled in first half injury-time by way of a purpose that was additionally easy in its execution. Dusan Tadic floated a free-kick into the field and Pavlovic rose highest to direct the ball into the nook of the web.
They grabbed the lead two minutes later when the Cameroon defence allowed Milinkovic-Savic time to select his spot from the sting of the field and steered the ball into the web.
The third for Serbia was a fantastically labored that was began and completed by Mitrovic. He drove in the direction of the Cameroon field and after a succession of passes contained in the penalty space, the ball was squared by Andrija Zivkovic and the burly quantity 9 had a easy tap-in.
That was the cue for Aboubakar to return off the bench. First he supplied an ideal chip into the web for 3-2, then he beat the offside lure, raced clear and whipped over a low cross for Choupo-Moting to stage the tie and preserve Cameroon alive within the competitors. (
Aboubakar conjures up Cameroon rally in 3-3 draw with Serbia
