1. Super-sub <\/strong>Aboubakar leads historic comeback for Cameroon<\/h2>\nAfter falling behind 3-1 in the 54th minute, Cameroon seemed all but out of the game. History said the same. Prior to Monday, only two African teams in World Cup history had ever come back from a two-goal deficit to get a result: South Africa’s 2-2 draw with Paraguay in 2002 and the Ivory Coast’s 3-2 win against Serbia and Montenegro in 2006.<\/p>\n
The rest of the world hadn’t fared any better. Teams that have fallen behind by two were just 9-428-13 (WLD) in the World Cup, meaning less than 5% of those teams have been able to rescue at least a point.<\/p>\n
Everything changed when Vincent Aboubakar replaced Martin Hongla in the 55th minute. His perfectly timed run put him in one-versus-one to score the team’s second goal with an incredible chip, then he assisted Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting’s equalizer minutes later.<\/p>\n
Had it not been for arguably the team’s best player, Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa, Cameroon might not have needed a comeback. First, the Napoli midfielder let Strahinja Pavlovic run unimpeded through the box and go unchallenged to head in Serbia’s first goal. Then, just two minutes later, he cheaply gave the ball away at the top of the box and didn’t work to win it back, which gave Sergej Milinkovic-Savic the chance that put Serbia in front.<\/p>\n\n <\/source><\/source><\/picture>Vincent Aboubakar got himself on the score sheet as Cameroon fought back. ANDREJ ISAKOVIC\/AFP via Getty Images<\/cite><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/aside>\n2. Serbia controls game for long stretches<\/h2>\n Despite falling behind in the 31st minute on a corner kick that was tapped home by Jean-Charles Castelletto, Serbia dictated the play for most of the game’s first two thirds.<\/p>\n
Outside of that goal, Cameroon rarely threatened and Serbia were consistently able to play their way through to the final third. Pavlovic (one minute into first-half stoppage time) and Milinkovic-Savic (three minutes) gave them a deserved lead just before the half, and it looked so easy when Aleksandar Mitrovic scored in the 53rd minute that the three points seemed like a forgone conclusion.<\/p>\n
But Serbia crumbled and It was a massive missed opportunity to give themselves a chance of reaching the knockouts heading into the match against Switzerland on Friday, where Serbia will now likely need a win to advance, depending on what happens between Brazil and Switzerland. Had they beaten Cameroon, it opened up the possibility that a draw would have been enough.<\/p>\n\n <\/source><\/source><\/picture>Sergej Milinkovic-Savic gave Serbia the lead, but they let things slip. ANDREJ ISAKOVIC\/AFP via Getty Images<\/cite><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/aside>\n3. <\/strong>The case of the missing goalkeeper<\/h2>\nA prematch shock came when Cameroon’s starting goalkeeper, Andre Onana, was not on the team sheet. His absence came in the wake of a disagreement with coach Rigobert Song, who Onana felt set up the team to play too defensively, sources told ESPN, and Onana left the team (and possibly the World Cup) as a result. Samuel Eto’o, the Cameroon Federation president, attempted to persuade Onana to remain with the team but was unsuccessful.<\/p>\n
With the Inter Milan goalkeeper unavailable, Song turned to French-born Devis Epassy, \u200b\u200bwho debuted for Cameroon in 2021 and plays for Abha in Saudi Arabia. There was nothing Epassy could have done on Serbia’s first goal, but he could have done better on the second.<\/p>\n
It’s impossible to say how Onana’s presence would have impacted the game, but with one point through two matches, Cameroon’s hopes of qualifying will be tough as they face Brazil next.<\/p>\n
\nPlayer ratings<\/h2>\n Serbia: <\/strong>Milinkovic-Savic 6, Pavlovic 8, Veljkovic 6, Milenkovic 6, Kostic 7, Lukic 6, Maksimonvic 7, Zivkovic 8, Milinkovic-Savic 8, Tadic 7, Mitrovic 8.<\/p>\nSubs<\/strong>: Mitrovic 6, Babic 6, Radonjic 6, Grujic 6.<\/p>\ncameron: <\/strong>Epassy 6, Fai 6, Castelletto 8, N.Koulou 6, Tolo 7, Kunde 7, Hongla 6, Anguissa 5, Mbeumo 6, Choupo-Moting 8, Ekambi 6.<\/p>\nSubs: <\/strong>Aboubakar 8, Ondoua 6, Bassogog 6.<\/p>\n \nBest and worst performers<\/h2>\n BEST: Vincent Aboubakar<\/strong><\/p>\nAboubakar’s goal and assist after coming on in the second made all the difference for Cameroon.<\/p>\n
WORST:<\/strong> Andr\u00e9-Frank Zambo Anguissa<\/strong><\/p>\nHis pair of mental lapses near the end of the first half cost the Indomitable Lions the lead and, possibly, the game.<\/p>\n
\nHighlights and notable moments<\/h2>\n Serbia went behind but scored twice in first-half stoppage time, before making it 3-1 early in the second, and it looked like they were cruising.<\/p>\n