Cameroon yesterday kept their hopes of making the last 16 of the FIFA World Cup alive after fighting back from two goals down to draw a thrilling Group G encounter with Serbia 3-3.
Rigobert Song’s team looked almost dead and buried after goals from Strahinja Pavlovic, Sergej Milinkovic-Savic and Aleksandar Mitrovic gave Serbia a 3-1 lead early in the second half.
However, substitute Vincent Aboubakar and Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting snatched a draw with two quick-fire strikes just after the hour mark to leave both Cameroon and Serbia on a single point, two behind group leaders Brazil and Switzerland.
Photo: AP
“In these competitions you have to show desire for victory,” Aboubakar said. “My teammates played a great first half despite some small mistakes. We felt they [Serbia] were shaky and a bit tired. When I came on, I tried to make the most of it.”
“What matters is the mindset and the collective spirit, and in that regard we played a great game,” he said.
Had they lost, Cameroon would have been relying on the Swiss beating Brazil to not be eliminated with a game to spare, but instead the west Africans still have a chance of getting out of the group stage for the first time since 1990.
Photo: EPA-EFE
Serbia have to hope Brazil beat the Swiss, otherwise qualification will be taken out of their hands.
Additional reporting by Reuters
GERMANY V SPAIN
AFP, AL KHOR, Qatar
Niclas Fuellkrug’s late equalizer on Sunday snatched Germany a morale-boosting 1-1 draw with Spain in a heavyweight FIFA World Cup clash, leaving both sides’ hopes of qualifying for the last 16 still in the balance.
Alvaro Morata’s flicked finish had Spain on course to secure qualification from Group E, but the electric Jamal Musiala and Fuellkrug combined to foil La Roja and restore some German pride.
Germany were unable to capitalize for large periods in a battle for the ball against Spain.
The four-time world champions suffered a humiliating group-stage exit in Russia four years ago, and Morata’s strike at Al-Bayt Stadium had them on the ropes, but Werder Bremen striker Fuellkrug finished brilliantly to divide the points.
Spain lead Group E on four points, with Japan and Costa Rica on three each, while Germany have one, with a final round of matches to come.
“We really wanted to pull [this game] back, that was very important,” Fuellkrug told German TV network ZDF. “We still have room for improvement, but we can hope that everything turns out well in the final game.”
BELGIUM V MOROCCO
AFP, DOHA
Morocco seriously jeopardized Belgium’s FIFA World Cup hopes as goals from Romain Saiss and Zakaria Aboukhlal secured a surprise 2-0 triumph on Sunday.
Belgium, third in Russia four years ago, could have qualified for the last 16 with victory, but instead produced another insipid display after their unconvincing opening win over Canada.
Substitute Abdelhamid Sabiri’s curling 73rd-minute free-kick beat Thibaut Courtois at the goalkeeper’s near post, although FIFA later said Saiss had made contact with the ball. Aboukhlal then grabbed a second in stoppage time.
Tens of thousands of Morocco supporters roared their team home at a raucous Al-Thumama Stadium.
Morocco only need a draw against Canada on Thursday to reach the knockout phase for the first time since 1986.
“We can still be better,” said Morocco coach Walid Regragui. “I’m not happy with four points, I want more than that. I want to qualify.”
Belgium, the world’s second-ranked side, must beat Croatia to be sure of going through.
CROATIA V CANADA
Reuters, DOHA
After an opening loss to Belgium, Canada coach John Herdman had boldly predicted that his team, who have not won a single FIFA World Cup game or even scored a goal, was “gonna eff Croatia,” the 2018 finalists.
After being thrashed 4-1 by the 12th-ranked Croatians on Sunday, Andrej Kramaric, who contributed a pair of goals to the victory, summed up the result, saying: “In the end Croatia demonstrated who effed who.”
While Canada might have been humbled, Herdman remained unbowed making no apologies for his incendiary remarks beyond grudgingly admitting he could have been a little more diplomatic.
“Not at all,” Herdman said, when asked if he regretted his comments. “There’s a respect there for Croatia.”
“I could have been a bit more composed coming out of the tunnel... I’ll take that on the chin, but from a mindset point of view I think we showed in that first 25 minutes that little old Canada can compete with the best in the world,” he said.
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