World Cup: Switzerland and Cameroon file out in Group G cracker
Switzerland and Cameroon meet for the first time ever on Thursday, as the two nations kick off what could be a very competitive World Cup 2022 Group G.
The Swiss come into the World Cup off the back of a quarter-final run at Euro 2020, while Cameroon finished third at the Africa Cup of Nations.
After four consecutive international tournaments, it will take some getting used to seeing Switzerland without Vladmir Petkovic on the touchline, as former Schaffhausen boss Murat Yakin takes the national side to a World Cup for the first time.
Since taking over in August 2021, the Basler has overseen a remarkably successful World Cup qualifying campaign, remaining unbeaten with 18 points from a possible 24 to top the group ahead of Italy.
A-Team also retained their spot in League A of the Nations League, bouncing back from three consecutive defeats to beat Portugal, Spain and Czech Republic in another impressive run of wins.
Despite a 2-0 defeat to Ghana in their final warm-up game, the Swiss will be confident ahead of a fourth consecutive World Cup, with the likes of Breel Embolo and captain Granit Xhaka heading to Qatar in great form.
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Cameroon, on the other hand, have struggled for form since their Africa Cup of Nations run, winning just one of their last five, with that victory coming against 141st-ranked Burundi.
Rigobert Song’s men qualified for Qatar in dramatic fashion, as Karl Toko Ekambi broke Algerian hearts to qualify for their eighth World Cup back in March.
The Indomitable Lions are actually the fourth-lowest ranked side in the entire tournament, finding themselves 28 places behind their Swiss opponents, and 22 adrift of anyone else in Group G.
Nonetheless, with attacking talent such as Toko Ekambi and Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting, who has 11 goals and three assists in his last 10 games, and having seen Saudi Arabia’s shock victory over Argentina on Tuesday, the five-time African champions will head into this crucial World Cup opener with real belief.