Vincent Aboubakar scores a last-minute winner and is sent off as Cameroon beat favorites Brazil 1-0 on Friday at the World Cup. However, Cameroon did not advance past the quarterfinal. At Doha’s Lusail Stadium, in the 92nd minute, Aboubakar, who had just joined the team of captain Rigobert Song.
He was ticketed for removing his shirt during the wild celebrations that followed, and since he had already received a warning, he had to leave his teammates to watch the game through.
They did so in order to win famously, but at the same time, Switzerland beat Serbia 3-2 to advance from Group G along with Brazil, which had already qualified. Brazil topped they will play South Korea in the last 16 when many of their key players who were rested for this game will return.
Brazil lost for the first time in the World Cup group stage since 1998 when they were defeated by Norway when Tite sent out a second-string team.
Martinelli impressed
Tite when made nine changes, including starting Dani Alves, who was 39 years old and became Brazil’s oldest-ever men’s international player.
Ederson from Manchester City played goal, Eder Militao from Real Madrid played center defense, Liverpool’s Fabinho played midfield, and Arsenal’s Gabriel Jesus played front, supported by Rodrygo.
They also had Gabriel Martinelli, a 21-year-old Arsenal prospect on the left side, who was their best player. When he leaped unmarked in the 14th minute, he almost scored the opening goal, but Cameroon goalkeeper Devis Epassy saved his header. In the first half of extra time, Martinelli also made an effort with a dribble across the area’s edge and a shot that Epassy saved.
The bench was reminiscent of this piece of play. When Neymar appeared on screens inside the enormous stadium, Brazil fans who had unfurled a banner with the message “Get Well Soon” for Pele cheered loudly.
In the first half of extra time, Cameroon almost scored when a header from Bryan Mbeumo forced Ederson into a diving save. Martinelli was Brazil’s most likely goal scorer in their previous seven World Cup encounters with African opponents, including victories over Cameroon in 1994 and 2014.
Early in the second half, he forced Epassy to tip over another shot that was arcing toward the top corner. Moments later, he turned a Militao shot around the post in place of Andre Onana, who was dropped for unspecified disciplinary reasons.
Tite brought on the Flamengo duo of Everton Ribeiro and Pedro in an effort to investigate all of his attacking options. However, he also saw Alex Telles get hurt in the second half. After Danilo and Alex Sandro, Telles is the third Brazil full-back to suffer an injury during the tournament.
Alves, who will turn 40 in a year, will continue to play a role in Qatar at this rate. Most importantly, Brazil hopes that Neymar will return soon, but it is uncertain whether he will play against South Korea on Monday.
Even though Cameroon will now return home, Cameroon deserves a lot of credit for taking four points from such a difficult group thanks to Aboubakar’s late goal, which came just as a goalless draw appeared to be the most likely outcome.