Cameroon and Serbia share spoils in dramatic six-goal World Cup thriller

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Cameroon and Serbia share spoils in dramatic six-goal World Cup thriller
Updated
Vincent Aboubakar scored once and assisted another after coming off the bench
Vincent Aboubakar scored once and assisted another after coming off the benchAFP, StatsPerform
Cameroon and Serbia played out one of the best games of the tournament so far with a 3-3 thriller that included two quick-fire two-goal comebacks in either half. Both sides have their World Cup fates in their own hands after a hugely entertaining and memorable encounter.

Full Time: Cameroon 3 Serbia 3

13:03 CET: Well, what a game. After Serbia went 3-1 up with three goals in around 10 minutes, Cameroon looked dead and buried. On came Vincent Aboubakar, who, before the tournament, compared himself to Mohamed Salah without the opportunities and his goal and assist certainly proved him right - at least in those two crazy second half minutes.

Our full report of this incredible game will be well worth the read - written by Paul Fisher - as will our match stats.

Full time statistics
Full time statisticsOpta by StatsPerform

If there was ever a time to check out our momentum graphic, the time is now. A game with so many twists and turns, but it will be Serbia who will feel they should have taken all three points.

Momentum: Cameroon v Serbia
Momentum: Cameroon v SerbiaOpta by StatsPerform

Second Half

12:59 CET: It's a powerfully struck set play, but Milinkovic-Savic can grasp it easily. One minute left.

12:58 CET: A late yellow card for Milenkovic in the Serbian defence, but worst for his side, a free kick in a dangerous area for Cameroon.

12:56 CET: Last change for Serbia - Filip Kostic's game is done. He is replaced by Filip Djuricic.

12:54 CET: We are into injury time at the end of the 90, and we will have an additional six minutes. In the first half, that saw two goals - will we get some more late drama right at the death?

12:53 CET: Now it's the turn of Serbia to get forward and again it is down the left with Filip Kostic. He looks to cross but in turns into more of a shot and it's easily saved. Moments later, Mitrovic fires just wide. Chances at both ends now.

12:51 CET: Vincent Aboubakar, evidently full of confidence, has a try from range. It's a well-struck shot, but Milinkovic-Savic is well behind it.

12:48 CET: Both sides looking tired after a game that has barely had time to catch its breath in the second half. Mitrovic tries to get onto a dangerous looking cross from the left wing, but he is unable to get anything on it. There are prayers being said in the stands. This is going to be a tense finale.

12:45 CET: With 10 minutes to go, two changes now for Cameroon. Bryan Mbuemo and Andre Anguissa are off as Georges-Kevin N'Koudou  and Samuel Oum Gouet enter the fray.

12:43 CET: Three changes for Serbia as Milos Veljkovic, Andrija Zivkovic and Sergej Milinkovic-Savic all come off in place of Marko Grujic, Nemanja Radonjic and Srdjan Babic.

12:41 CET: Mitrovic, you should do better. The striker is one-on-one with the keeper and tries to thread his shot through his legs, but it's a poor attempt and the ball trickles to safety.

12:35 CET: Just a reminder, we have 20 minutes to go in this game.

12:33 CET: In the chaos, Cameroon have made a double change with Pierre Kunde and Karl Toko Ekambi off with Christian Bassogog and Gael Ondoua coming on.

12:30 CET: WHAT IS GOING ON?! IT'S 3-3!

Whatever Serbia can do in the first half, Cameroon can do in the second. The second remarkable turnaround of the game as they are clean through and Aboubakar turns provider allowing Eric Choupo-Moting the simple task of tucking the ball home. Don't go anywhere, we may have the game of the tournament here.

12:28 CET: VAR CHECK! ABOUBAKAR IS ONSIDE - A CAMEROON LIFELINE

At first glance the substitute Vincent Aboubakar looked offside, but he continued and scored a delightful chip. Game on!

12:27 CET: Cameroon have the ball in the back of the net but the flag is up...

12:23 CET: What can Cameroon do to salvage their World Cup hopes? So far they have struggled to create anything in this second half and look vulnerable on the counter attack. 

12:20 CET: A change for either side off the back of that goal. One is tactical as Cameroon bring on Vincent Aboubakar for Martin Hongla whilst for Serbia, the first goalscorer Strahinja Pavlovic looks to be injured and he comes off for Stefan Mitrovic.

12:17 CET: MITROVIC! 3-1 SERBIA

It had to be him - after two first half chances, Aleksander Mitrovic gets his goal. It is the easiest of finishes as Zivkovic tees him up to slot the ball into an empty net. Serbia firmly in control now.

12:12 CET: After that dramatic end to the first half, it's not surprising that we have a relatively quest start to the second. No changes at the break for either side, by the way.

12:09 CET: Both sides are back out and we are under way.

Half Time

11:57 CET: As our momentum graphic shows, Serbia had the better of the half, but the game has swung their way dramatically at the end of the half.

First half momentum
First half momentumOpta by StatsPerform

11:54 CET: A crazy end to the first half where Serbia turned the game on its head with two goals in three minutes. They have been the better side for much of the half and their two goals are just reward for their efforts. For Cameroon, they will have to regroup at the break and try to battle back into a game that has exploded into life.

First Half

11:51 CET: It's all Serbia now as Mitrovic shoots just wide. Cameroon are holding on for half-time now.

11:49: TWO GOALS IN THREE MINUTES! SERGEJ MILINKOVIC-SAVIC HAS TURNED IT AROUND.

What drama to end the first half! A real moment of quality sees Milinkovic-Savic hit a shot perfectly into the bottom corner and giving Epassy no chance. A huge turnaround in this game before the break.

11:46 CET: SERBIA ARE LEVEL - IT'S PAVLOVIC!

A deft free-kick from Dusan Tadic gives Strahinja Pavlovic a simple header, that he converts well, sending the Serbian players into a frenzy. A huge goal for them in this tournament.

11:45 CET: We will have a rather extravagant six minutes added on to the end of the first half.

11:44 CET: Chance for Cameroon! Pierre Kunde gets into the box and has two bites at the cherry - his first shot hits the keeper and the ball rebounds back to him, but he fires wide. A terrific opportunity for Cameroon to double their lead just before half-time.

11:40 CET: Some sustained Serbia pressure before the end of the first half and the ball drops to Dusan Tadic in the penalty area, but he fires over. The play gets called for offside anyway, but he will feel he should have done better with that effort.

11:33 CET: A goal that will have shocked Serbia no doubt and they will want to hit back fast given the magnitude of this fixture. However, it's Cameroon on the attack again and Sergej Milinkovic-Savic has to defend well to deny another opportunity. In the process he collides with Collins Fai and the defender looks in some pain.

11:29 CET: CAMEROON LEAD THROUGH CASTELLETTO!

A corner from the left is flicked on by N'Koulou and Castelletto has the easiest tap-in at the back post to give Cameroon a lead against the run of play.

11:25 CET: The first booking of the game goes to Nicolas N'Koulou after he sticks out an arm on a Serbian player. From the free kick, Dusan Tadic is unable to create anything. Serbia on the front foot at the moment.

11:19 CET: A first shot in anger from Cameroon earns them a corner, but they can't capitalise as they work it to the edge of the box only for the offside flag to go up after the shot.

11:17 CET: A golden chance for Mitrovic goes begging. The ball bounces to him kindly 10 yards from goal but he pulls his shot wide. He will be very upset that he could not hit the target from that range.

11:17 CET: Nicolas N'Koulou has Cameroon's first shot of the match, but it won't trouble Milinkovic-Savic in the Serbia goal. 

11:15 CET: Martin Hongla is currently off the pitch having a knock to his foot examined. No player will want to leave this game early given its importance.

11:10 CET: Neither side have wrestled control of the game as of yet - it has been a scrappy start, suggesting a few nerves in this importamt fixture. But then, a flash of quality! Mitrovic turns his marker and fires a shot against the post! So unlucky from the Fulham forward.

11:07 CET: A quiet start under the afternoon sun in Qatar. So far, there have been just seven goals in six games from the early kick-offs in this World Cup. Will this game buck the trend today?

11:02 CET: An early knock for Aleksander Mitrovic as he hobbles off to the touchline. He heads back onto the pitch, but something to watch out for as the game continues.

11:00 CET: Time for kick off and it will be Serbia to get us going.

Pre-match

10:55 CET: Time for the anthems.

10:53 CET: The biggest news from the team news is seeing Andre Onana dropped in the Cameroon goal for Devis Epassy after a disagreement with the coach Rigobert Song. Will that have an impact on the game? It's a warm day in Qatar and the heat will be turned up on the pitch given the magnitude of the game. Both sides are in the tunnel - let's get going.

Team News

Dusan Vlahovic will be on the bench for Serbia for the second game in a row at the World Cup as they face Cameroon in Group G.

The 22-year-old striker, who was battling a groin problem in the run-up to the tournament, came on in the second half of Serbia's 2-0 defeat by Brazil.

Wing back Filip Kostic was named in the starting side after missing the opening game with a muscle problem.

Cameroon coach Rigobert Song made two changes to the team who lost 1-0 to Switzerland, replacing keeper Andre Onana with Devis Epassy and midfielder Samuel Oum Gouet with Pierre Kunde.

Cameroon: Devis Epassy, Collins Fai, Jean-Charles Castelletto, Nicolas Nkoulou, Nouhou Tolo, Andre-Frank Zambo-Anguissa, Pierre Kunde, Martin Hongla, Bryan Mbeumo, Eric-Maxim Choupo-Moting (c), Karl Toko Ekambi

Serbia: Vanja Milinkovic-Savic, Nikola Milenkovic, Milos Veljkovic, Strahinja Pavlovic, Andrija Zivkovic, Sergej Milinkovic-Savic, Sasa Lukic, Filip Kostic, Nemanja Maksimovic, Dusan Tadic (c), Aleksandar Mitrovic

Introduction

A huge game in Group G starts day nine of the World Cup in Qatar as Cameroon and Serbia go head-to-head, both hoping to cement themselves in the conversation for qualification into the knockout stages. Whoever loses will face an almost impossible task of getting out of the group, and will have to rely on other results to go their way following both side's defeats in their opening games.

The two teams have met just the once in their history - a friendly back in 2010 - where Serbia ran out 4-3 winners. A game like that today will be a great watch for the neutrals, perhaps for the two sides' supporters.

The game, being played at Al Janoub Stadium, kicks off at 11:00 CET and we will have live text commentary right here for you to enjoy. If you want to listen to the match, we will have live and free audio commentary from 10:55 CET. 

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