AEROON RALL› …OE„A…
QATAR – Cameroon striker Vincent Aboubakar came off the bench to score one goal and set up another as the Indomitable Lions rescued a point in their 3-3 draw with Serbia yesterday that ended a run of eight successive World Cup losses for the African side.
The roller-coaster Group G fixture leaves both sides on a single point from their two games, still just in contention for a last 16 place, although Cameroon must face Brazil in their final match on Friday, while Serbia take on Switzerland.
Jean-Charles Castelletto gave Cameroon the lead just before the half-hour mark, but a quickfire double at the end of the first period from Strahinja Pavlovic and the hugely impressive Sergej Milinkovic-Savic swung the game in Serbia’s favour.
When Aleksandar Mitrovic added another early in the second period, his side looked in complete control and cruising to a win. But Aboubakar, who top-scored at the Africa Cup of Nations finals earlier this year, turned the game around when he came off the bench.
He netted a fine solo goal with an audacious chip over the keeper to reduce the deficit, before breaking forward and crossing to Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting to smash in the equaliser three minutes later.
Brighter
It was Serbia who had started the brighter, however. After Mitrovic had floated a header over the bar, he struck the post when his quick footwork created a shooting chance from a tight angle.
He had another huge opportunity when Cameroon made a hash of clearing their lines and the ball fell to him eight yards out with the whole goal to aim at, but he fired wide. Cameroon took the lead from a set-piece after Serbia had needlessly conceded a corner. Castelletto got on the end of Nicolas N’Koulou’s flick to tap home at the back post. Serbia levelled in first half injury-time via a goal that was also simple in its execution. Dusan Tadic floated a free-kick into the box and Pavlovic rose highest to direct the ball into the corner of the net.