JAKARTA - Cameroon will meet Brazil for the third time at the World Cup. The Indomitable Lions lost their previous two matches in 1994 and 2014. However, Rigobert Song's men have reason to believe that in Qatar the outcome will be different.
Rigobert Song's side is joined by Brazil, Serbia, and Switzerland in Group G at the 2022 World Cup. The Africans have never faced the above two European sides in a World Cup final before, but they know a thing or two about facing Brazil, though the two lost in the previous meeting.
We take a look back at those two losses, in the United States in 1994 and Brazil in 2014, and explain why the Indomitable Lions had realistic expectations for different outcomes when the two sides met on December 2 in Qatar 2022.
The United States 1994: Time for Song to Forget
Having become the first African team to reach the World Cup quarter-finals in Italy four years earlier, Cameroon went into the group game with Brazil in a confident mood after a 2-2 draw with Sweden. Coached by Frenchman Henri Michel, Cameroonians did well in the first 45 minutes against the South Americans and came on in the second half with a goal down, which was scored by Romario.
However, Cameroon's hopes evaporated just after the hour, when 17-year-old Rigobert Song was shown a red card. Even the arrival of Roger Milla – who, at the age of 42, would break his own record as the tournament's oldest goalscorer in the 6-1 loss to Russia that sealed Cameroon's hopes – could not change things. Marcio Santos doubled Brazil's lead, and Bebeto added a third to seal an easy 3-0 win.
Cameroon is at the bottom of this group. While Brazil lifted their fourth world title at the end of the tournament.
Brazil 2014: The hosts prove too strong
This time Cameroon were knocked out of the competition before they even faced tournament hosts Brazil in Brasilia, with 0-1 and 0-4 defeats to Mexico and Croatia respectively that kept their chances of qualifying for the knockout stages closed. Neymar put the Brazilians ahead in the 17th minute and Joel Matip equalized a few minutes later.
Cameroon's hopes of a positive end to the tournament were quickly evaporated when Neymar scored a second and Fred and Fernandinho also scored for the well-trained hosts.
Cameroon finished bottom of the table again, while a star-studded Brazil side that also featured Dani Alves, Thiago Silva, Hulk, Marcelo, and Paulinho suffered a painful 7-1 loss to Germany in the semi-finals.
Song praises Cameroon's spirit
While Brazil still has a constellation of stars to rely on in 2022 – among them Vinicius Junior and Neymar – Song, who accepted the post of coach of Cameroon at the end of February, believes his players will be resurrected by the opportunity to play against the South American side.
"It's great to play against a player with a reputation. It's always been a motivation," the 45-year-old told FIFA after the draw for the World Cup finals in early April.
On y vaaaaa !
Impossible n’est pas camerounais 🇨🇲🇨🇲🇨🇲 DIEU MERCI 🙏🏾🙏🏾 pic.twitter.com/McvO1cwVJF
— Moukoudi.H (@MoukoudiH) March 30, 2022
Cameroon has its own top-flight players with plenty of Champions League and Europa League experience under their belt, among them Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting of Bayern Munich, Karl Toko Ekambi of Lyon, Andre Onana of Ajax, and Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa of Naples.
Except for the injured Anguissa, they all took part in a superb win over Algeria in the third round of Africa's qualifying for Qatar 2022, with Cameroon qualifying on away goals after both teams drew 2-2 on aggregate.
"The most interesting thing is not the fact that we won, but the passion I instill in my players, who pushed themselves to the limit and got the result at the end," Song said referring to the late goal that gave them a thrilling play-off win over Algeria, who came on four minutes into extra time.
"That's what's important. And that's what we have to work on even more because you only win competitions by playing with a lot of energy, drive, and determination.
"I think the only way is for us and we will try to go further because that is Cameroonian football. Cameroonian players stand out for their drive and determination. I think we can make it happen and make a difference."
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