Cameroon give this World Cup another shock by beating Brazil

LUSAIL, Qatar -- Cameroon's Vincent Aboubakar scored a precocious victor to manus them a memorable 1-0 triumph implicit Brazil connected Friday, but it was not capable to spot Rigobert Song's broadside done to the knockout stages of Qatar 2022.

- World Cup 2022: News and features | Schedule | Squads

Brazil dominated overmuch of the match, but Aboubakar's 90th-minute victor ensured Cameroon's World Cup run finished connected a winning note. He celebrated by taking his garment off, and was subsequently sent disconnected by referee Ismail Elfath, who handed the striker a 2nd yellowish paper for his solemnisation pursuing different booking earlier successful the match.

With qualification already secured, Brazil manager Tite made 9 changes to his broadside up of the lucifer and handed Dani Alves the captaincy, and portion they caput done arsenic winners of Group G, this was a daze effect and not the mentation they wanted up of their lucifer round-of-16 matchup against South Korea connected Monday.

JUMP TO: Player ratings | Best/worst performers | Highlights and notable moments | Postmatch quotes | Key stats | Upcoming fixtures

Rapid reaction

1. Cameroon supply different daze successful this World Cup by beating Brazil

Tite's much-changed Brazil broadside gave the caller starters a fantastic accidental to springiness the manager a enactment headache up of the circular of 16. A mates took it, others fto it walk them by.

Regardless of the changes, the Brazil's expectations stay the same: they expected and demanded a win. In a World Cup of shocks, this was different to adhd to the list.

The swathes of changes was Tite reinforcing the religion helium has successful the full squad to get the occupation done present successful Qatar. Only third-choice keeper Weverson is yet to get immoderate minutes. But the enactment gamble, successful the abbreviated word astatine least, didn't wage off.

Of those brought in, it was the Arsenal antheral Gabriel Martinelli who was Brazil's champion subordinate connected the tract arsenic his trickery caused Cameroon a headache. Twice helium managed to gaffe past his marker to get shots connected goal, and it was lone the astute positioning of goalkeeper Devis Epassy that kept them out.

There were those who failed to marque the astir of their opportunity, though. Gabriel Jesus ne'er truly managed to manner a accidental -- replaced aft 54 minutes by Everton Ribeiro -- but did good successful link-up play. On the other flank to Martinelli, Antony showed flashes of brilliance successful the opening stages, but was yet marked retired of the crippled by the Seattle Sounders' Tolo Nouhou. Rodrygo was 1 of the much promising players disconnected the seat successful Brazil's 1-0 triumph implicit Switzerland, but was handed immoderate unsmooth justness by the Cameroon defence and didn't negociate to occupation the goal.

Their profligacy ended up costing them, portion it was a antiaircraft lapse that allowed Aboubaker to caput location unmarked precocious connected with Bremer missing his man. That volition springiness Tite origin for interest with South Korea lying successful wait, and the injured unit watching connected from the stands.

For Brazil it was arsenic overmuch a lucifer successful which the absorption was connected those connected the tract arsenic it was those successful the stands oregon unused connected the bench. Neymar was contiguous successful the stadium arsenic helium continues betterment from an ankle wounded -- the show of him drew immense cheers from the Brazil fans who packed retired the Lusail Stadium -- portion Danilo and Alex Sandro were besides there. Given Alex Telles was forced disconnected injured successful the aboriginal stages of the 2nd half, Brazil volition beryllium hoping Alex Sandro volition beryllium disposable for the adjacent phase. The signs are promising there, but the breadth of the squad's reserves successful defence was tested present with Marquinhos ending up arsenic a makeshift left-back.

For those who wanted to unit their mode into the starting lineup, the bulk failed to instrumentality their chance.

2. Cameroon impressment contempt group-stage exit

Cameroon needed a triumph against Brazil and results elsewhere to spell their mode if they were to advancement to the knockout rounds, but contempt getting the occupation done, their turbulent World Cup ends astatine the radical stage. Considering they started with a lacklustre 1-0 decision to Switzerland, and past had to header with the ungraded surrounding goalkeeper Andre Onana's departure, the information that they rallied and were inactive successful with a outcry of making the circular of 16 heading into the last crippled was recognition to them.

Their heroics against Serbia -- wherever they came backmost from 3-1 down to gully 3-3 -- gave them the level to make past against Brazil. They were patient. For truthful overmuch of the lucifer they had their backs against the wall. Up until Aboubakar's precocious winner, the closest they came was Bryan Mbeumo's header connected the changeable of half-time, which needed a world-class prevention from Ederson to support out.

The publication was akin successful the 2nd half, arsenic they repelled thing and everything Brazil threw astatine them. And recognition has to spell the players and manager for their antiaircraft organisation. Given they were without their 2 first-choice centre-backs for the crippled -- some Jean-Charles Castelletto and Nicolas Nkoulou were injured -- the information they managed to support retired Brazil was a large effort. And successful the lack of Onana, Epassy enactment successful a monumental show successful goal. He was sensational successful keeping retired the Brazilian waves of attack. It each gave Aboubakar his changeable astatine history.

3. Dani Alves makes Brazilian men's World Cup history

The ageless Dani Alves cemented his spot successful Brazilian shot past arsenic helium became the oldest men's subordinate to correspond his state successful a World Cup. He captained the side, and aged 39 years and 210 days, helium overtook the erstwhile grounds held by chap right-back Djalma Santos, who was 37 years aged backmost astatine the 1966 World Cup.

Dani Alves' inclusion successful the 26-man squad was questioned. Tite came successful for dense disapproval for picking the veteran, fixed Dani Alves was struggling with a genu wounded and is successful the twilight of his career. But the manager -- successful his own, soft-spoken mode -- backed the erstwhile Barcelona stalwart, saying full-backs successful his strategy didn't needfully request grass-scorching speed, and the 39-year-old had different qualities that would beryllium invaluable.

The antheral himself said prematch that helium would beryllium blessed conscionable playing the tambourine to support morale, but helium proved against Cameroon that helium isn't present simply to marque up the numbers. He did good keeping threats from his flank astatine bay for truthful overmuch of the match, and fixed Brazil's injuries astatine full-back, volition apt beryllium called upon astatine immoderate signifier against South Korea successful the circular of 16.

Player ratings

Cameroon: Devis Epassy 8, Collins Fai 7, Enzo Embosse 7, Christopher Wooh 7, Tolo Nouhou 7, Nicolas Moumi Ngamaleu 6, Pierre Kunde 6, André-Frank Zambo Anguissa 8, Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting 7, Bryan Mbeumo 6, Vincent Aboubakar 7

Subs: Karl Toko Ekambi 6, Olivier Ntcham 6, Jerome Ngom Mbekeli 6

Brazil: Ederson 7, Dani Alves 7, Bremer 7, Éder Militão 7, Alex Telles 6, Fabinho 7, Fred 6, Rodrygo 6, Antony 7, Gabriel Martinelli 8, Gabriel Jesus 6

Subs: Bruno Guimarães 6, Marquinhos 6, Éverton Ribeiro 6, Pedro 6, Raphinha 6

Best and worst performers

BEST: Devis Epassy, Cameroon. The Abha No. 1 was monumental successful extremity for Cameroon. He stopped thing and everything thrown his way.

WORST: Gabriel Jesus, Brazil. Tricky, this one, but the Arsenal guardant failed to enactment his stamp connected the game.

Highlights and notable moments

With Brazil fable Pele successful infirmary suffering from a respiratory infection, Selecao fans sent the erstwhile Santos prima their best.

Brazil fans clasp up 'Pelé get good soon' during the nationalist anthem ❤️🇧🇷 pic.twitter.com/xlRC7XqiaL

Even Ismail Elfath felt atrocious having to nonstop disconnected Aboubakar.

Aboubakar celebrates his extremity for Cameroon by taking disconnected his shirt, and past is sent disconnected for a 2nd yellowish paper 😅 pic.twitter.com/JubSqTAX1L

After the match: What the players and managers said

Epassy: "We tin beryllium arrogant of what we did contiguous arsenic it showed we tin beryllium a apical team. We didn't qualify, though, which is wherefore we're not overly blessed with tonight."

Fabinho: "If you don't termination (the game), the hostile lone needs 1 chance. This is what happened. Thankfully we finished apical of the group. It was not a nonaccomplishment that eliminated us, but we tin inactive larn from it. We created a lot, but we can't miss truthful galore goals."

Key stats (provided by ESPN Stats & Information)

- Mbeumo's changeable connected extremity successful the 3rd infinitesimal of first-half stoppage clip was the archetypal changeable connected extremity Brazil person faced this World Cup.

- Aboubakar is the archetypal subordinate to beryllium sent disconnected from a crippled for excessive solemnisation successful a World Cup lucifer going backmost to astatine slightest 1966.

- Cameroon ended Brazil's World Cup group-stage unbeaten streak astatine 17 games. Prior to Friday, they hadn't mislaid successful this signifier of the contention since 1998 erstwhile they were defeated by Norway.

Up next

Cameroon: Cameroon's World Cup is over, but they'll beryllium backmost successful enactment successful March, erstwhile they big Namibia for Africa Cup of Nations qualifying connected March 20.

Brazil: The Selecao volition instrumentality connected South Korea connected Monday successful the circular of 16.