DOHA, Qatar (AP) — After failing to score and losing their first matches, both Cameroon and Serbia need their forwards to take aim when they meet in the World Cup on Monday..
“The highest level is relentless,” Cameroon coach Rigobert Song said after his team’s opening 1-0 loss to Switzerland. “We no longer have a margin for error and we will go all out.”
Serbia have a good finisher in Juventus striker Dusan Vlahovic, but he has just recovered from a groin injury. If he’s a starter, coach Dragan Stojkovic would ideally pair him with Aleksandar Mitrovic.
Mitrovic has 50 goals for Serbia and his last-minute header against Portugal in Lisbon last year he sent the Serbs to Qatar and put the Portuguese into a playoff. Started the 2-0 defeat against Brazil but he seemed jaded, just like Vlahovic had when he walked in.
Stojkovic is hopeful Juventus left winger Filip Kostic is ready to go. If so, and the three forwards are backed by Lazio’s standout midfielder Sergej Milinkovic-Savic, it could be a busy afternoon for Cameroon goalkeeper Andre Onana, who also plays in Italy’s Serie A for Inter Milan.
Cameroon is also likely to have a three-man attack with Bryan Mbeumo on the right of striker Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting and Karl Toko Ekambi on his left. Toko Ekambi scored five goals in last year’s Africa Cup of Nations as Cameroon reached the semifinals.
Choupo-Moting, 33, has enjoyed a renaissance with Bayern Munich since Robert Lewandowksi left to join Barcelona, scoring 11 goals in 16 games. Song hopes to score his 20th international goal at the Al Janoub Stadium.
Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa has been a revelation in midfield for Italian league leaders Napoli this season. He will be key in finishing off Milinkovic-Savic, who should take on a deeper role if Serbia start with two forwards.
A loss eliminates Serbia if Brazil fail to win against Switzerland in the other Group G match, while a loss would eliminate Cameroon if the Swiss fail to win.
Meanwhile, the Serbian football federation was accused by FIFA on Saturday for hanging a political banner about the neighboring independent state of Kosovo in the locker room before playing Brazil in the World Cup.
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