Cameroon saved their hopes of constructing the final 16 of the World Cup alive on Monday after combating again from two targets down to attract an exciting Group G encounter with Serbia 3-3. Rigobert Tune’s group appeared virtually lifeless and buried after targets from Strahinja Pavlovic, Sergej Milinkovic-Savic and Aleksandar Mitrovic gave Serbia a 3-1 lead early within the second half. However substitute Vincent Aboubakar and Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting snatched a draw with two quick-fire strikes simply after the hour mark to go away each Cameroon and Serbia on a single level, two behind group leaders Brazil and Switzerland.
Had they misplaced, Cameroon would have been counting on the Swiss beating Brazil with the intention to not be eradicated with a recreation to spare, however as an alternative the west Africans nonetheless have an opportunity of getting out of the group stage for the primary time since 1990.
Cameroon have a tricky job forward as they play Brazil of their last match, which in response to stories they are going to play with out first-choice goalkeeper Andre Onana who was dropped from the matchday squad simply hours earlier than kick-off following an unspecified disciplinary concern.
Media stories recommend that Onana has been despatched residence from the World Cup after a disagreement with Tune, however that pre-match turmoil did not cease Cameroon placing in a combating show towards a Serbia group who most likely deserved to win on the stability of play.
Mitrovic was virtually invisible in Serbia’s defeat to Brazil however right here he was concerned from kick-off, the Fulham ahead unfortunate to not give Serbia the lead within the eleventh minute when he crashed a shot off the publish from a decent angle following a neat trade of passes with Dusan Tadic.
– Cameroon comeback –
However Mitrovic solely had himself in charge for not opening the scoring six minutes later, shanking an terrible first-time end extensive when, after a combination up within the Cameroon defence, the ball dropped at his ft with solely Onana’s alternative Devis Epassy to beat.
And Castelletto punished the Serbs for Mitrovic’s miss within the twenty ninth minute with the best of finishes after ghosting in on the again publish to satisfy Nicolas Nkoulou’s flick-on at a nook.
Pierre Kunde then handed up a golden alternative to double Cameroon’s lead within the forty third minute when he first shot straight at goalkeeper Vanja Milinkovic-Savic after which smashed the rebound extensive.
It was Cameroon’s flip to be undone at a set-piece because the half crept into first-half stoppage time when Pavlovic brilliantly headed residence Dusan Tadic’s floated free-kick.
The Serbs’ tails have been up and Sergej Milinkovic-Savic flipped the match on its head two minutes later with an excellent left-footed end after Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa sloppily gave the ball away simply outdoors his personal penalty space.
Mitrovic lastly had the aim his sturdy show deserved seven minutes after the break, tapping in Andrija Zivkovic’s cross unopposed on the finish of gorgeous transfer guided by Milinkovic-Savic and Tadic.
The match appeared over however from nowhere Cameroon sprung again into life because of Aboubakar’s odd aim.
The Al Nassr ahead raced by way of onto Castelletto’s launched cross excessive and scooped an unbelievable end over the Serbia ‘keeper, beaming with delight after his aim was awarded following a VAR verify.
Aboubakar’s tempo precipitated Serbia every kind of issues and he laid on Choupo-Moting’s leveller, bursting down the correct and laying on a easy end for the Bayern Munich ahead which sparked wild celebrations on the pitch and within the stands.
Neither facet might discover a winner in an end-to-end end to the sport and their bids to make the knockouts will go right down to the ultimate recreation.
(This story has not been edited by NDTV workers and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
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