Cameroon set a new World Cup record for African nations with a last-gasp 1-0 win over Brazil in their final Group G match on Friday at Lusail Stadium..
The game was dominated by a second-string Selecao lineup throughout, but Cameroon captain Vincent Aboubakar scored a dramatic 92nd-minute winner, directing a brilliant header into the bottom-right corner before receiving a second yellow card for celebrating.
The Indomitable Lions held on for their first World Cup victory in 20 years, but it was not enough to secure their place in the last 16 after Switzerland defeated Serbia 3-2, with the former now joining Brazil in the knockout rounds..
Nonetheless, Cameroon has become the first African country in World Cup history to defeat five-time world champions Brazil on the world’s biggest stage.
The Selecao had previously won all seven of their World Cup matches against African opponents, scoring 20 goals and conceding only twice..
Two of those World Cup victories came against Cameroon, with a 3-0 victory in 1994 and a 4-1 victory in 2014.
Brazil has also defeated Ghana, Morocco, Ivory Coast, Algeria, and Zaire at the World Cup, but Rigobert Song’s men will leave the 2022 tournament in Qatar as the first African team to defeat the competition’s most successful nation..
The Indomitable Lions also ended Brazil’s record 17-game unbeaten group-stage run at the World Cup, as well as their 17-game unbeaten run in all competitions, with the Selecao losing their first game since Argentina defeated them 1-0 in the Copa America final in 2021.
Furthermore, Cameroon’s victory over Brazil is their first against the South American giants in 19 years, dating back to a 1-0 victory in the 2003 Confederations Cup.
While Cameroon’s World Cup journey in Qatar comes to an end, Brazil will now prepare for Monday’s last-16 match against South Korea, who defeated Portugal 2-1 to finish second in Group H..
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