The biggest sporting event in the world continues with the Group G Serbia v Cameroon clash that sees the two first round losers go head to head to get their knockout bid back on track.
With so many games and so little time, our Group G Serbia v Cameroon Match Centre tries to sum it all up as quickly as possible before and after the game and with just a hint of cynicism. If you wanted professional and/or good you’d be on the BBC website, not here. Essentially, we watch and follow the game so you don’t have to.
With answers to the key questions prior to the match and our Minutes that Mattered summary and stats post game, it is a real Who Cares guide to the 2022 World Cup for the person on the go.
Enjoy the Group G Serbia v Cameroon Match Centre.
KICKOFF – MONDAY 28TH NOV – 13:00 (QATAR) 10:00 (UK) 21:00 (AEDT)
Group G Serbia v Cameroon Match Review
Serbia and Cameroon have played out one of the more entertaining clashes at the World Cup, as both sides stay alive for knockout football with a 3-3 draw.
Minutes that Mattered
Welcome to the briefest of match summaries, like a minute by minute you find on professional websites except one that has only the minutes that matter. All wheat, no chaff.
And if the below isn’t enough, for those in Australia you can catch up via the SBS World Cup on Demand.
1’ Min For our match preview we offered up Aleksandr Mitrovic as our player to watch with a half-arsed guarantee of goals from the Fulham striker. So you imagine our disappointment when Mitrovic goes down injured in the first minute of the game. He does come back on and limp for a bit, so all good for now.
6’ Min Mitrovic must feel better as he is involved in Serbia’s first decent chance. Dusan Tadic sets up the chance with a fine assist but the header lacks power and is easily saved. Cameroon get their first chance a few minutes later.
11’ Min We don’t want this to turn into a Mitrovic love-fest, but the Serbian striker has another crack at goal in the 11th minute and it’s a goodun’. Mitrovic using his skills to avoid the Cameroon defence, the drags the ball back on his left foot and smashes a strike that slams into the far post.
17’ Min We swear this isn’t a Mitrovic love-in , but he is the only one doing interesting stuff. This time he should have done better, and perhaps too the Cameroon defence. One Cameroon defender tries to clear a Serbia cross, but he kicks it into his own team mate in the box, then the ball rolls to a third Cameroon defender who fails to control the ball and it falls to Mitrovic’s feet. The Serbian striker has a good sight of the goal from six metres but he misses to the left for a goal kick.
19’ Min Down the other end, Cameroon’s Pierre Kunde draws a fine save at the near post from the Serbian keeper. The resulting corner doesn’t require any further description.
22’ Min Serbia get a corner, which the end result isn’t much to write about, but the pre-corner entertainment was pretty funny, as the Serbian and Cameroon players paired off and a ballroom dancing competition threatened to break out.
24’ Min Klinsmann Trophy nomination for Serbia’s Andrija Živković who goes down like being assassinated after an accidental brush to the head from a Cameroon defender as he waited for the ball to go out. Živković’s theatrics were good though, as the referee gave them a free kick and the opposition a yellow car.
29’ Min GOOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAALLLLLLLLLLLLL FOR CAMEROON
From a corner Pierre Kunde delivers a great cross to the near post, then Nicolas Nkoulou flicks a header towards the far post and Cameroon’s Jean-Charles Castelletto was standing patiently waiting to tap in. Can they celebrate yet? Or is VAR ready to spoil the party. Nope, it’s a goal. Bad news for Serbia, as a loss sees them out of the knockout contention.
CAMEROON 1 SERBIA 0
43’ Min After soaking up a load of Serbian attack, Cameroon break down the field and almost score themselves just short half time.
45’ Min After failing to get a shot on target v Brazil, Serbia’s first half also remained light-on for a Shot on Target. Until………
45’ +1 Min GOOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAALLLLLLLLLLLLL FOR SERBIA
After winning a free kick just outside the penalty area Serbia’s Dušan Tadić chips the ball into the box, and defender Strahinja Pavlović heads across goal into the left corner for a goal.
CAMEROON 1 SERBIA 1
45’ +3 Min GOOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAALLLLLLLLLLLLL FOR SERBIA
Two goals in two minutes for Serbia and was first on the ball, the second is delivered by Sergej Milinković-Savić, After a poor attempt at clearance by a Cameroon defender on the edge of his box, Sergej Milinković-Savić pick up the ball, plays a quick 1-2, then shoots and scores.
CAMEROON 1 SERBIA 2
HALF TIME – CAMEROON 1 SERBIA 2
49’ Min Serbia picked up where they left off in the first half, pressuring the Cameroon defence.
53’ Min GOOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAALLLLLLLLLLLLL FOR SERBIA
And a goal finally for Aleksandr Mitrovic. Mitrovic started the attack as he drove towards the penalty area, he then passed to the left, and after a sequence of five passes in quick succession the ball was squared to Mitrovic who had space and time to slot the ball away for his first World Cup goal.
CAMEROON 1 SERBIA 3
55’ Min Cameroon’s Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting’s head is just an inch away from potential goal scoring contact down the other end, which would have been a nice, quick boost to save their World Cup.
63’ Min GOOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAALLLLLLLLLLLLL FOR CAMEROON
Vincent Aboubakar – who has only just come on as a sub – scores after receiving a perfectly times pass from inside his own half, and the Cameroon striker perfectly chips the keeper for the ball to bounce into the netting. But the goal is instantly denied by the linesman for offside. However, VAR gets involved to check the linesman’s call, and the offside is overruled and Cameroon have scored.
CAMEROON 2 SERBIA 3
65’ Min GOOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAALLLLLLLLLLLLL FOR CAMEROON
Again Cameroon start the move inside their own half with a smart ball to Vincent Aboubakar, who then tears down the left away from the Serbian chasers, he then squares the ball to a waiting Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting who taps in. Unbelievably, it is 3-3 and game on all of a sudden.
CAMEROON 3 SERBIA 3
78’ Min And here come the changes for Serbia as they chase the win. It has been a combination of an arm wrestle with an end to end parade as the sides look for that winner.
88’ Min Mitrovic misses the chance to be more of a national hero missing a gettable chance.
90’ Min Six minutes of added time to go. So much could happen, and almost did immediately as Mitrovic had a one on one with the keeper who did well to block the Serbian striker.
It’s all over, and what a great game. 3-3 seems fair enough a score line for all.
Final Score
CAMEROON 3
Jean-Charles Castelletto 29′ Vincent Aboubakar 63′ Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting 65′
SERBIA 3
Strahinja Pavlović 45′ +1 Sergej Milinković-Savić 45′ +3 Aleksandr Mitrovic 53′
HT Serbia 2-1
Player of the Match
Mitrovic or super sub Aboubakar
Points of Interest
- That’s now 13 goals in two matches between these sides.
Group G Serbia v Cameroon Match Stats
Coming soon.
Group G Serbia v Cameroon Starting Teams
CAMEROON (4-3-3)
16 Epassy
19 Fai Collins
21 Castelletto
3 Nkoulou
25 Tolo
8 Anguissa
18 Hongla
15 Kunde
20 Mbeumo
13 Choupo-Moting
12 Toko-Ekambi
SERBIA (3-4-2-1)
23 V Milinkovic-Savic
4 Milenkovic
5 Veljkovic
2 Pavlovic
14 Zivkovic
6 Maksimovic
16 Lukic
17 Kostic
10 Tadic
20 S Milinkovic-Savic
9 Mitrovic
Group G Serbia v Cameroon Match Preview
Why should you care?
Because it looks like Brazil will be the team to top Group G, so these non Brazil clashes are key. Both are coming off losses, so there will be a sense of desperation in the air, which is a great thing for a neutral to enjoy.
Who should you care about?
This could be the game where Aleksandar Mitrović explodes into life at the World Cup. The Serbian striker who scored a million goals in the Championship in 21/22 and continues to score in the Premier League has also been in fine form for Serbia. He has scored 14 goals in 16 games.
Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting was in a lot of good things for Cameroon in their first up loss to Switzerland, and they will need him to be even more against Serbia as they need a result to keep their knockout hopes alive.
Full 2022 World Cup Squads & Stats
Is there a barely interesting fact?
Serbia have lost both of their clashes against African sides at the World Cup.
The only games between these sides produced seven goals, so more of that would be nice.
Cameroon haven’t beaten a European side at the World Cup since Italia 90. Since then it was been D3 L5.
Who will win?
Cameroon 2 Serbia 1
Full 2022 World Cup Predictions
