Cameroon striker Vincent Aboubakar came off the bench to score one goal and set up Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting as the Indomitable Lions salvaged a point in their 3-3 draw with Serbia on Monday, ending the African side’s run of eight consecutive World Cup losses.
Both sides have a single point from their two games and are still in contention for a round of 16 spot, though Cameroon must face Brazil in their final match on Friday, while the Serbians play Switzerland.
Jean-Charles Castelletto gave Cameroon the lead just before the half-hour mark, but a quick-fire double from Strahinja Pavlovic and the hugely impressive Sergej Milinkovic-Savic at the end of the first period swung the game in Serbia’s favour.
When Aleksandar Mitrovic scored early in the second period, his team appeared to be in complete control and cruising to victory. But Aboubakar changed the game when he came off the bench. The Al Nassr forward cut the deficit with a fine solo goal, an audacious chip over the keeper, before breaking forward and crossing for Choupo-Moting to smash home three minutes later.
Serbia had gotten off to a better start. Mitrovic struck the post after flopping a header over the bar, when his quick footwork created a shooting opportunity from a tight angle. When the African side made a mess of clearing their lines, the ball fell to him eight yards out with the entire goal to aim at, but he fired wide. Cameroon took the lead after Serbia had conceded a corner. Castelletto tapped home at the back post after getting on the end of Nicolas N’Koulou’s flick.
Serbia equalised in first-half injury time with a goal that was also simple to execute. Dusan Tadic delivered a free kick into the box, and Pavlovic rose highest to head the ball into the far corner of the net. They took the lead two minutes later when the Cameroon defence gave Milinkovic-Savic enough time to pick his spot on the edge of the box and steered the ball into the net.
Mitrovic started and finished Serbia’s third goal, which was a work of art. He drove into the Cameroon box, and after a series of passes inside the penalty area, the ball was squared by Andrija Zivkovic, who had a simple tap-in.
That was the signal for Aboubakar to enter the game. The striker a perfect chip into the net to make it 3-2, then he beat the offside trap, raced clear, and whipped in a low cross for Choupo-Moting to tie the game and keep Cameroon in the competition.
Meanwhile, Mohammed Kudus scored twice as Ghana defeated South Korea 3-2 in a dramatic World Cup Group H match on Monday to remain in contention for the next round. Ghana held off early Korean pressure to go 2-0 up, thanks to a scrambled goal from centre back Mohammed Salisu in the 24th minute, which was followed 10 minutes later by a glancing header from Kudus.
Both were on the receiving end of superb deliveries from Jordan Ayew, who had been reinstated to the starting lineup as Ghana fielded a much more offensive lineup than in their previous match against Portugal.
As the ball bobbled around, Ayew’s perfectly weighted free kick caused confusion in the Korean defence, and Salisu turned sharply to grab the opener after a VAR review. Ayew delivered another dangerous delivery, this time with the perfect height and pace for Kudus to apply a glancing touch with his head and double the Black Stars’ lead.
In the second half, Cho Gue-sung netted twice in three minutes to tie the game at 2-2, only for Kudus to earn Ghana victory in a thrilling match at the Education City Stadium. Ghana, which lost their first group game 3-2 to Portugal, now has three points, while Korea has one after two games.
