Hi, I’m Jordane, a reporter from Overtime Online, I will be providing match day coverage of FIFA world cup Group G clash between Cameroon and Serbia. Both sides lost their first match of the tournament and cannot afford another loss as it can lead to early exit for either side. Points are imperative for both even a draw would not be enough, Brazil who are huge favourites and will be playing later on today against Switzerland. A Brazil win will see both sides eliminated. Kick-off is at 10:00 am in Al Janoub Stadium.
Line ups have been announced and players are warming.
Serbia changes – Kostic goes straight into the starting eleven having not played a single minute of the first game, Dusan Vlahovic is benched again as Aleksandar Mitrovic is lone striker.
KICK OFF! We are underway at Al Janoub Stadium, from the national anthem you can sense the players are pumped and understand what is at stake. Serbia are in a full white strip and Cameroon are wearing their home kit, green shirt and red shorts.
1- Serbia have the privilege of kicking off the proceedings, not even 15 seconds within the game, there is an early scare for Serbia fans as Alesander Mitrovic landed badly on the ground.
Embed from Getty Images3 – It’s a relief, medical team arrived quickly to Aleksandar Mitrovic, he is all ok now and he is very vital to getting the goals for Serbia.
5 – Both sides already on the front foot in the early stages, it is necessary having an attacking output in a must win game.
8 – Andrija Zikkovic fires a cross into the box finds his teammate Aleksandar Mitrovic who is acres of space, and his header does not trouble the Serbia keeper, Goal kick to Cameroon.
10 – OFF THE POST! A slickly play from Alesander Mitrovic on the right side, the #3 Cameroon defender was sliding onto the floor, Mitrovic gets a shot away on his left foot, Cameroon goalkeeper, Devis Epassy’s heart was in my mouth as the ball hit the left side post of the box.
13 – Injury concerns for Cameroon, Martin Hongla , Cameroon are down to ten men at the moment. The Medical team provides treatment to him which looks like an ankle injury.
16 – Chance! Mitrovic is at again and he completely messed the volley, and the ball goes wide. It’s a terrible mis from the star striker.
18 – SAVE! Pierre Kunde has a great strike and Vanja Milinkovic-Savic palms away for a Cameroon corner.
22 – Corner Kick for Serbia – whipped into the box and unable to find anyone in the box.
23 – Yellow card for Nicolas Nkoulou – which was not needed, having thought he played the ball out of play winning a goal kick and now provides Serbia with a freekick and chance to grab a goal before the thirtieth minute mark.
27 – Cameron are unhappy with the referee decision to play advantage especially Jean-Charles Castelletto after Mitrovic elbowed him.
28 -GOAL! Cameroon 1-0 Serbia It’s Castelletto and brings a surprise in the corner, nobody spotting his run in the box and what a time to score his first goal for his country, Chuopo Moting provided the assist as he flicked with the ball with his head for Jean-Charles Castelletto to get tap in. All the Cameroon bench run onto to the pitch and celebrating.
Embed from Getty Images32 – Confidence is building from whole Cameroon team after the goal.
37 – Serbia have responded well with Dusan Tadic trying to spring a few chances, he is the one of the key players to start a revival, Camerron defended well and stood tall.
41 – Mitrovic shows his frustration towards his teammate Kostic having played a cross which could not reach him.
44 – Pierre Kunde has been a great attacking threat to the Cameroon team and as we approach half-time, Serbia will be disappointed they have not taken their chances, and most have been wasted by Alexsander Mitrovic.
45 – 6 minutes added on
45 +1 – Goal! Cameroon 1 – 1 Serbia – It’s another defender on the scoresheet. Dusan Tadic’s freekick finds Strahinja Pavlovic with loads of space in the box and he headers to equalise for the Serbs.
Embed from Getty Images45 +3 – Goal! Camerron 1- 2 Serbia – What a turnaround for Serbia, Sergej Milinkovic-Savic picks a decent position just outside the box having been found by Andrija Zivkovic and his shot goes low, Dennis Epassy got minimal contact but unable to keep the ball out.
45 + 5 – WHAT IS HAPPENING TO CAMEROON, they need half time now, they cannot cope with the Serbia attack, Aleksandar Mitrovic has a shot deflected. Serbia are looking for the third.
45 + 6 – Yellow card – Luka Jovic – He is one of the substitutes and got a booking after he celebrated the goal with his teammates on the pitch.
Half Time Score – Cameroon 1 – 2 Serbia
Halftime summary – It was dramatic end to the first half; Cameroon took the lead on the run of play from a corner kick after unlikely source Jean-Charles Castelletto with a tap in. Serbia responded well with two quick fired goals at added time period from Strahinja Pavlovic and Sergej Milinkovic-Savic to lead at the half time break. As it stands Cameroon will be knocked out of the FIFA world cup if Brazil draw Switzerland later on.
Second half is about to start
46 – Cameroon cannot afford the Serbia chaos they faced in the late stages of the first half period, or they will be packing their bags back to Africa.
48 – Offside – Tadic finds his teammate Filip Kostic with nicely timed through pass, his movement was off by a few centimetres away and it is flagged for offside.
49 – Dusan Tadic and Sergej Milinkovic-Savic are getting more joy in the game, and they are cruising.
Embed from Getty Images52 – Goal! Cameroon 1- 3 Serbia -Aleksandar Mitrovic – A sublime team goal starting from the halfway line with Sergej Milinkovic-Savic and Dusan Tadic at the heart of the goal. Swift passes in the box and Aleksandar Mitrovic ends with a tap in. Cameron are crumbling and looks like it will get worse for them. They need to make changes very soon.
54 – Substitution – Cameroon – Vincent Aboubakar replaces Martin Hongla – this is positive change and attack; the coach seems optimistic that they can get a goal back and have to commit players forward.
Substitution – Serbia -Stefan Mitrovic comes on for the goal scorer Strahinja Pavlovic who appears to be injured.
56 – Bryan Mbeumo from the freekick delivers into the box finds perfectly Eric Choupo-Moting gets a header but goes well wide.
59- Cameroon are not letting their heads down Vincent Aboubakar with great footwork in the box, his shot is blocked and there is already shift in approach from Cameroon players.
61 – Sergej Milinkovic-Savic dinks over the crossbar and with the confidence he has right now, he believes he can score any type of goal at this rate.
62 – OFFSIDE! – Vincent Aboubakar chip shot has been flagged off … VAR is checking if the striker’s movement was time precisely between the final defenders.
64 – Goal! – CAMEROON 2-3 SERBIA – The goal is given, Aboubakar chips over Vanja Milinkovic-Savic, this provides hope for the Cameroon fans .
65 – Goal! – CAMEROON 3-3 SERBIA -! WHAT A COMEBACK, WHAT A GAME! Nobody thought this was going to happen at the half time break. Vincent Aboubakar is at again now providing an assist in the box and plays the ball into Eric Choupo-Moting to slot in.
Embed from Getty Images69 – DOUBLE SUBSTITUTION- CAMEROON – Christian Bassogog and Gael Ondoua comes for Karl Toko-Ekambi and Pierre Kunde
70 – Credit to Cameroon, the substitutes introduced have made an instant impact, with Vincent Aboubakar with his nutmegs and runs behind giving trouble to the Serbia defence.
74 – Serbia are looking to gain foot hold in the game after this Cameroon whirlwind.
Triple Substitution – Serbia -Nemanja Radonjic, Srdjan Babic and Marko Grujic replaces Milos Veljkovic, Sergej Milinkovic-Savic and Andrija Zivkovic- these changes will solidify the defence and add more freshness to the side.
80 – Double Substitution– Cameroon – Milos Veljkovic, Sergej Milinkovic-Savi and Andrija Zivkovic comes on for Frank Anguissa and Bryan Mbeumo.
81 – Cameroon approach in the last minutes is completely to the first game, they are full out attack and believe there is a late winner is in their sights as we edge closer with nine minutes to go with added on time to come.
84 – Serbia play not as fluid earlier in the second half and left stunned by the constant attack from the inclusion of substitutes, the Cameroon coach deserves a huge amount of praise for the changes he made.
86 – Vincent Aboubakar launches a shot from long range, Vanja Milinkovic-Savic catches the shot with ease.
87 – Kostic was caught in two minds whether to shot or cross, he decides to shoot and goes straight into Devis Epassy’s hands.
88 – Aleksandar Mitrovic swings first time, the shot scraps the left side of the post, the striker will be kicking himself and he should be walking away at the end of this game with a couple of goals already.
Embed from Getty Images90 – 6 minutes added on.
90 +1 – Great Save from Devis Epassy to deny Aleksandar Mitrovic – He has come in with a huge weight of pressure on his shoulders to replace Andre Onana and proved to be a good replacement.
90 +4 – Yellow card – Serbia – Nikola Milenkovic
90 +6 – Substitution – Serbia – Filip Djuricic comes on Filip Kostic.
Embed from Getty ImagesFULL TIME SCORE Cameroon 3 – 3 Serbia
Full Time match summary –
Cameroon and Serbia have produced arguably the game of the tournament so far. In a six-goal thriller both sides had to share the point on this occasion. Cameroon took an unlikely lead in the first half with Serbia dominating the majority of that period, their persistence was rewarded at the closing stages before the half time break goals from Milinkovic-Savic and Pavlovic to lead at the half time break. Serbia were in cruise control with Aleksandar Mitrovic scoring the third and he and his teammates thought the game was all over. Cameroon Coach made bold and attacking the introduction of Vincent Aboubakar changed the whole outcome of the game, he clawed one goal back and assisted the next goal to get his team back on equal terms and secure a well-deserved fight back. As it stands both sides chances of progressing are very slim, they need a win in the later game between Brazil and Switzerland. If the two sides draw later on, both Cameroon and Serbia will be knocked out before they kick a ball in the final game.
