Brazil has lived up to the hype as tournament favorite, so far. The Brazilians have won both matches and haven’t allowed a goal yet. They’re already in the knockout round and take on a Cameroon team in need of a win on Friday. Elsewhere in Group G, Switzerland takes on Serbia in a rematch of a group match from the 2018 World Cup with both teams still alive. See below for storylines, odds and expert picks for Friday’s Group G games.
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Cameroon vs. Brazil
Cameroon (0-1-1, 1 point); Brazil (2-0-0, 6 points)
Kickoff time: 2 p.m. ET/7 p.m. GMT
Venue: Lusail Stadium, Lusail
Brazil didn’t look sharp against Switzerland, but has delivered shutout wins and pretty goals in both matches. Those wins have Brazil already in the knockout round. Winning Group G also seems extremely likely.
The Brazilians need just a draw to win the group and could win the group with a loss as long as Switzerland doesn’t beat Serbia and make up three goals in goal differential. Meanwhile, Cameroon hasn’t won a World Cup match in 20 years.
Brazil is the biggest favorite of the day, but the Indomitable Lions are still alive after drawing Serbia. That draw ended Cameroon’s streak of eight straight losses at World Cups and kept the nation out of the record book for longest losing streak. Ending a nine-match winless streak on Friday would be a tall task. Cameroon must win to advance, but also needs a Switzerland-Serbia draw or Serbia to win and go through on goal differential.
Brazil treats every match as a chance to put on a show and Cameroon needs to win. This could be an open match.
Pre-match reading
A tactical row, wounded pride and state intervention — why Cameroon sent Andre Onana home
Expert picks
Serbia vs. Switzerland
Serbia (0-1-1, 1 point); Switzerland (1-0-1, 3 points)
Kickoff time: 2 p.m. ET/7 p.m. GMT
Venue: Stadium 974, Doha
This match happened in group play in 2018 and was memorable. The Swiss won that match 2-1 with goals from Granit Xhaka and Xherdan Shaqiri. Shaqiri’s 90th minute winner ended up being decisive in the group with the Swiss advancing in second place ahead of Serbia.
However, the goals were less memorable than the celebrations. Xhaka celebrated with an eagle gesture. Shaqiri did the same for his goal. That gesture is a reference to the eagle on the Albanian flag, and both players have roots in Kosovo. This ethnically Albanian province fought a war of independence against Serb-dominated Yugoslav forces in the late 1990s. Those players scored those goals for Switzerland, but the celebrations were for Albania and Kosovo.
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That’s the history that this match carries. Xhaka is captaining Switzerland and has played all 180 minutes so far. Shaqiri started against Cameroon, but missed the Brazil match on Monday due to injury. Will we see similar celebrations? Will Serbia be fired up not to let history repeat itself?
The odds are practically even with Serbia given a slight edge. Switzerland is through with a draw (unless Cameroon beats Brazil) so this could be a tight match. Serbia must win and get some help from Brazil, which is expected.
Serbia hasn’t made it out of the group stage of a World Cup as an independent nation after the breakup of Yugoslavia. Switzerland has made it to the Round of 16 in three of the last four World Cups.
Pre-match reading
This is Aleksandar Mitrovic, the boy who liked to fight but now unites a nation
Serbia, strikers and scouting: Under the skin of one of Europe’s talent hotbeds
Expert picks
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(Photo of Vinicius Junior: Clive Brunskill / Getty Images)
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