Switzerland and Cameroon look for a key victory

Switzerland and Cameroon look for a key victory

MADRID, 23 Nov. (EUROPA PRESS) -

The teams from Switzerland and Cameroon will be in charge of opening the action this Thursday (11:00 am) in Group G of the World Cup in Qatar with a duel that could be key to the aspirations of both in the face of the fight to be in the round of 16. final.

In a group with almost indisputable favoritism for Brazil, the Swiss and Cameroonian teams must fight alongside Serbia for the other place to be at the crossroads, a round in which Murat Yakin's men were already four years ago, precisely sharing the first phase also with the five-time world champion and with the Serbs.

For this reason, getting the first three points from the start would give both teams a boost, especially Cameroon, who after suffering the unspeakable to be in Qatar and not add a second consecutive absence, now wants to add again in a Cup of the World since in 2014 and 2010 he went home empty.

The clash is even between two teams that will meet for the first time in their history in a World Cup, although Switzerland already knows what it can mean to face an African team since in their preparation for the event they met in a friendly with the Ghana by Iñaki Williams, before which he lost 2-0. In the World Cup, 'Nafti' has only played once, in 2006, with a victory over Togo.

That defeat against the 'Black Stars' broke the good dynamics that the Swiss team had had since Murat Yakin's arrival on the bench. Despite a bad start with the former player, he closed the 2022 League of Nations with three consecutive victories against important rivals such as Portugal and Spain, and against the Czech Republic, and hopes to impose his courage against the rival physical strength.

For its part, Cameroon now dreams of emulating the team that surprised everyone in Italy '90 where, led by Roger Milla, they touched the semifinals after losing to England in extra time and after winning until minute 83. Since then, in his next five appearances, only one win, in 2006, against Saudi Arabia (1-0).

In any case, expectations are lower for these 'Indomitable Lions', a team whose strength is in its offensive part and which comes with many more doubts after being unable to win in its last four games, with defeats against South Korea and a surprising one against Uzbekistan, and two draws against other modest ones such as Panama and Jamaica.

SWITZERLAND: Summer; Widmer, Schar, Akanji, Rodriguez; Sow, Genealogy, Freuler; Shaqiri, Embolo and Vargas.

CAMEROON: Onana; Fai, Castelleto, wooh, Tolo; Anxiety, Ntcham; Ngamelou, Choupo-Mouting, Camp; and Aboubakar.

--REFEREE: Facundo Tello (ARG).

--ESTADIO: Al Janoub.

--TIME: 11.00/World Goal-Movistar.