2022 FIFA World Cup Group G

Matches in Group G of the 2022 FIFA World Cup took place from 24 November to 2 December 2022.[1] The group consisted of Brazil, Serbia, Switzerland and Cameroon. The top two teams, Brazil and Switzerland, advanced to the round of 16.[2] This was unprecedented in World Cup history as Brazil won the group despite scoring fewer goals than each of their opponents. Brazil, Serbia and Switzerland also played in Group E at the previous FIFA World Cup.[3]

Warm-up prior to the Brazil–Serbia match

Teams

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Draw position Team Pot Confederation Method of
qualification
Date of
qualification
Finals
appearance
Last
appearance
Previous best
performance
FIFA Rankings[4]
March 2022[nb 1] October 2022
G1   Brazil 1 CONMEBOL CONMEBOL Round Robin winners 11 November 2021 22nd 2018 Winners (1958, 1962, 1970, 1994, 2002) 1 1
G2   Serbia 3 UEFA UEFA Group A winners 14 November 2021 13th[nb 2] 2018 Fourth place (1930, 1962)[nb 3] 25 21
G3   Switzerland 2 UEFA UEFA Group C winners 15 November 2021 12th 2018 Quarter-finals (1934, 1938, 1954) 14 15
G4   Cameroon 4 CAF CAF third round winners 29 March 2022 8th 2014 Quarter-finals (1990) 37 43

Notes

  1. ^ The rankings of March 2022 were used for seeding for the final draw.
  2. ^ This is the third appearance of Serbia at the FIFA World Cup. However, FIFA considers Serbia as the successor team of Yugoslavia, who qualified on eight occasions, and Serbia and Montenegro, who qualified on two occasions.
  3. ^ Serbia's best result is the group stage in 2010 and 2018. However, FIFA considers Serbia as the successor team of Yugoslavia.

Standings

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Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1   Brazil 3 2 0 1 3 1 +2 6 Advanced to knockout stage
2    Switzerland 3 2 0 1 4 3 +1 6
3   Cameroon 3 1 1 1 4 4 0 4
4   Serbia 3 0 1 2 5 8 −3 1
Source: FIFA
Rules for classification: Group stage tiebreakers

In the round of 16:

  • The winners of Group G, Brazil, advanced to play the runners-up of Group H, South Korea.
  • The runners-up of Group G, Switzerland, advanced to play the winners of Group H, Portugal.

Matches

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All times listed are local, AST (UTC+3).[1]

Switzerland vs Cameroon

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The teams had never met before.

After a goalless first half, Breel Embolo scored the only goal of the match three minutes into the second period, finishing from six yards out after a cross from Xherdan Shaqiri on the right.[5] Embolo did not celebrate the goal in respect to being born in Cameroon; he moved to Switzerland when he was six years old.[6]

Switzerland  1–0  Cameroon
  • Embolo   48'
Report
Attendance: 39,089
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Switzerland
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Cameroon
GK 1 Yann Sommer
RB 3 Silvan Widmer
CB 5 Manuel Akanji   83'
CB 4 Nico Elvedi   64'
LB 13 Ricardo Rodriguez   90'
CM 8 Remo Freuler
CM 10 Granit Xhaka (c)
RW 23 Xherdan Shaqiri   72'
AM 15 Djibril Sow   72'
LW 17 Ruben Vargas   81'
CF 7 Breel Embolo   72'
Substitutions:
MF 20 Fabian Frei   72'
FW 19 Noah Okafor   72'
FW 9 Haris Seferovic   72'
MF 25 Fabian Rieder   81'
DF 18 Eray Cömert   90'
Manager:
Murat Yakin
 
GK 23 André Onana
RB 19 Collins Fai   36'
CB 21 Jean-Charles Castelletto
CB 3 Nicolas Nkoulou
LB 25 Nouhou Tolo
DM 14 Samuel Gouet
CM 8 André-Frank Zambo Anguissa
CM 18 Martin Hongla   68'
RF 20 Bryan Mbeumo   81'
CF 13 Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting (c)   74'
LF 12 Karl Toko Ekambi   74'
Substitutions:
MF 5 Gaël Ondoua   68'
FW 10 Vincent Aboubakar   74'
MF 7 Georges-Kévin Nkoudou   74'
FW 6 Moumi Ngamaleu   81'
Manager:
Rigobert Song

Man of the Match:
Yann Sommer (Switzerland)[7]

Assistant referees:
Ezequiel Brailovsky (Argentina)
Gabriel Chade (Argentina)
Fourth official:
Saíd Martínez (Honduras)
Reserve assistant referee:
Walter López (Honduras)
Video assistant referee:
Mauro Vigliano (Argentina)
Assistant video assistant referees:
Fernando Guerrero (Mexico)
Pau Cebrián Devís (Spain)
Ricardo de Burgos Bengoetxea (Spain)
Stand-by assistant video assistant referee:
Nicolás Taran (Uruguay)

Brazil vs Serbia

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The teams had met once in the World Cup, in Brazil's 2–0 group stage victory in 2018. With Serbia playing as Yugoslavia, the sides had met 18 times, including four encounters in FIFA World Cup group stages: in 1930, 1950, 1954 and 1974, with one victory for each and two draws.

After a goalless first half, Richarlison opened the scoring for Brazil in the 62nd minute, when he followed up to finish after Serbian goalkeeper Vanja Milinković-Savić saved Vinícius Júnior's low shot from the left, with Neymar initially creating the chance.[8] Richarlison then made it 2–0 eleven minutes later when he controlled the ball from Vinícius Júnior before finishing to the left of the net with an over-the-shoulder acrobatic right-footed kick. Casemiro hit the woodwork and Fred also had a shot saved with Brazil running out comfortable 2–0 winners.[9]

Brazil  2–0  Serbia
Report
Attendance: 88,103
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Brazil
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Serbia
GK 1 Alisson
RB 2 Danilo
CB 4 Marquinhos
CB 3 Thiago Silva (c)
LB 6 Alex Sandro
CM 5 Casemiro
CM 7 Lucas Paquetá   75'
RW 11 Raphinha   87'
AM 10 Neymar   79'
LW 20 Vinícius Júnior   75'
CF 9 Richarlison   79'
Substitutions
MF 8 Fred   75'
FW 21 Rodrygo   75'
FW 18 Gabriel Jesus   79'
FW 19 Antony   79'
FW 26 Gabriel Martinelli   87'
Manager:
Tite
 
GK 23 Vanja Milinković-Savić
CB 5 Miloš Veljković
CB 4 Nikola Milenković
CB 2 Strahinja Pavlović   7'
DM 8 Nemanja Gudelj   49'   57'
CM 16 Saša Lukić   64'   66'
CM 20 Sergej Milinković-Savić
RW 14 Andrija Živković   57'
AM 10 Dušan Tadić (c)
LW 25 Filip Mladenović   66'
CF 9 Aleksandar Mitrović   83'
Substitutions
MF 24 Ivan Ilić   57'
MF 7 Nemanja Radonjić   57'
MF 22 Darko Lazović   66'
FW 18 Dušan Vlahović   66'
MF 6 Nemanja Maksimović   83'
Manager:
Dragan Stojković

Man of the Match:
Richarlison (Brazil)[10]

Assistant referees:
Mohammadreza Mansouri (Iran)
Mohammadreza Abolfazli (Iran)
Fourth official:
Maguette Ndiaye (Senegal)
Reserve assistant referee:
El Hadj Malick Samba (Senegal)
Video assistant referee:
Taleb Al-Marri (Qatar)
Assistant video assistant referees:
Muhammad Taqi (Singapore)
Anton Shchetinin (Australia)
Pol van Boekel (Netherlands)
Stand-by assistant video assistant referee:
Ashley Beecham (Australia)

Cameroon vs Serbia

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The teams had faced each other once, a 2010 friendly won 4–3 by Serbia.

Jean-Charles Castelletto put Cameroon into the lead in the 29th minute, when he finished from close range off of a corner. In first-half stoppage time, Strahinja Pavlović equalized with a header, before Sergej Milinković-Savić brought Serbia ahead just two minutes later with a low finish into the corner of the net.[11] Eight minutes into the second half, Aleksandar Mitrović put Serbia 3–1 up with a low finish after a passing move. Vincent Aboubakar scooped the ball over goalkeeper Vanja Milinković-Savić to score Cameroon's second goal in the 63rd minute, awarded by the VAR after initially being deemed offside, before Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting completed the comeback three minutes later with a low shot after a pass from the right by Aboubakar. The match finished in an entertaining 3–3 draw.[12]

This was Cameroon's first point in a World Cup match since 2002, ending an eight-game losing streak.[13]

Cameroon  3–3  Serbia
Report
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Cameroon
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Serbia
GK 16 Devis Epassy
RB 19 Collins Fai
CB 21 Jean-Charles Castelletto
CB 3 Nicolas Nkoulou   24'
LB 25 Nouhou Tolo
DM 18 Martin Hongla   55'
CM 8 André-Frank Zambo Anguissa   81'
CM 15 Pierre Kunde   67'
RF 20 Bryan Mbeumo   81'
CF 13 Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting (c)
LF 12 Karl Toko Ekambi   67'
Substitutions:
FW 10 Vincent Aboubakar   55'
FW 11 Christian Bassogog   30'   67'
MF 5 Gaël Ondoua   67'
MF 14 Samuel Gouet   81'
MF 7 Georges-Kévin Nkoudou   81'
Manager:
Rigobert Song
 
GK 23 Vanja Milinković-Savić
CB 4 Nikola Milenković   90+3'
CB 5 Miloš Veljković   78'
CB 2 Strahinja Pavlović   55'
RM 14 Andrija Živković   78'
CM 6 Nemanja Maksimović
CM 16 Saša Lukić
LM 17 Filip Kostić   90+2'
AM 10 Dušan Tadić (c)
AM 20 Sergej Milinković-Savić   78'
CF 9 Aleksandar Mitrović
Substitutions:
DF 13 Stefan Mitrović   55'
DF 15 Srđan Babić   78'
MF 7 Nemanja Radonjić   78'
MF 26 Marko Grujić   78'
MF 21 Filip Đuričić   90+2'
Other disciplinary actions:
FW 11 Luka Jović   45+4'
Manager:
Dragan Stojković

Man of the Match:
Vincent Aboubakar (Cameroon)[14]

Assistant referees:
Mohamed Al-Hammadi (United Arab Emirates)
Hasan Al-Mahri (United Arab Emirates)
Fourth official:
Ma Ning (China)
Reserve assistant referee:
Shi Xiang (China)
Video assistant referee:
Nicolás Gallo (Colombia)
Assistant video assistant referees:
Juan Soto (Venezuela)
Ezequiel Brailovsky (Argentina)
Leodán González (Uruguay)
Stand-by assistant video assistant referee:
Gabriel Chade (Argentina)

Brazil vs Switzerland

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The teams had met nine times prior, including two draws coming in World Cup group stage matches: 2–2 in 1950 and 1–1 in 2018.

Brazil started the game without the injured Neymar, who was ruled out for the remainder of the group stage after spraining his ankle in the previous match.[15] The only goal of the game was scored by Brazilian midfielder Casemiro in the 83rd minute, when his deflected right-footed shot from inside the penalty area struck the top corner of the net.

The win secured Brazil's passage to the knockout stage, and was their first victory in three attempts against Switzerland at the FIFA World Cup.[16]

Brazil  1–0  Switzerland
Report
Attendance: 43,649
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Brazil
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Switzerland
GK 1 Alisson
RB 14 Éder Militão
CB 4 Marquinhos
CB 3 Thiago Silva (c)
LB 6 Alex Sandro   86'
DM 5 Casemiro
CM 8 Fred   52'   58'
CM 7 Lucas Paquetá   46'
RF 11 Raphinha   73'
CF 9 Richarlison   73'
LF 20 Vinícius Júnior
Substitutions:
FW 21 Rodrygo   46'
MF 17 Bruno Guimarães   58'
FW 18 Gabriel Jesus   73'
FW 19 Antony   73'
DF 16 Alex Telles   86'
Manager:
Tite
 
GK 1 Yann Sommer
RB 3 Silvan Widmer   86'
CB 5 Manuel Akanji
CB 4 Nico Elvedi
LB 13 Ricardo Rodriguez
CM 8 Remo Freuler
CM 10 Granit Xhaka (c)
RW 25 Fabian Rieder   50'   58'
AM 15 Djibril Sow   76'
LW 17 Ruben Vargas   58'
CF 7 Breel Embolo   76'
Substitutions:
DF 2 Edimilson Fernandes   58'
DF 11 Renato Steffen   58'
MF 14 Michel Aebischer   76'
FW 9 Haris Seferovic   76'
MF 20 Fabian Frei   86'
Manager:
Murat Yakin

Man of the Match:
Casemiro (Brazil)[17]

Assistant referees:
David Morán (El Salvador)
Zachari Zeegelaar (Suriname)
Fourth official:
Saíd Martínez (Honduras)
Reserve assistant referee:
Walter López (Honduras)
Video assistant referee:
Drew Fischer (Canada)
Assistant video assistant referees:
Armando Villarreal (United States)
Kathryn Nesbitt (United States)
Fernando Guerrero (Mexico)
Stand-by assistant video assistant referee:
Mahmoud Abouelregal (Egypt)

Serbia vs Switzerland

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The teams had met once before, in Switzerland's 2–1 group stage victory at the 2018 FIFA World Cup. With Serbia playing as Yugoslavia, the two teams had met 13 times, including in the 1950 FIFA World Cup group stage, a 3–0 victory for Yugoslavia.

In an open and entertaining match, Andrija Živković struck the post early on for Serbia, before Xherdan Shaqiri opened the scoring for Switzerland via a deflection, becoming the first Swiss player to score at three different World Cups.[18] Aleksandar Mitrović equalized just six minutes later with a header off of a Dušan Tadić cross, before a poor clearance by Swiss midfielder Remo Freuler allowed Dušan Vlahović to put Serbia in front. The first half would end 2–2 after Breel Embolo brought Switzerland level off of a Silvan Widmer cross.

Serbia, who needed a victory to have a chance of reaching the knockout stage, then went behind again early into the second half, after Freuler finished off a Swiss team goal with a volley. The game became ill-tempered, similar to the sides' previous encounter in 2018, and saw both sets of players scuffle multiple times, primarily triggered after provocation towards the Serbian bench by Swiss captain Granit Xhaka, an ethnic Albanian.[19] The eleven yellow cards distributed during the contest was the most shown in a World Cup match since the twelve given in the 2010 final. Switzerland ultimately retained their lead and won the match 3–2.[20]

Their two group stage victories saw Switzerland progress to the knockout stage as runners-up for a third successive World Cup, while Serbia finished bottom and were eliminated in the first round for their fourth tournament in a row.

Serbia  2–3  Switzerland
Report
Attendance: 41,378
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Serbia
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Switzerland
GK 23 Vanja Milinković-Savić
CB 4 Nikola Milenković   90+5'
CB 5 Miloš Veljković   55'
CB 2 Strahinja Pavlović   56'
RM 14 Andrija Živković   78'
CM 20 Sergej Milinković-Savić   47'   68'
CM 16 Saša Lukić   90+10'
LM 17 Filip Kostić
AM 10 Dušan Tadić (c)   78'
CF 9 Aleksandar Mitrović   82'
CF 18 Dušan Vlahović   55'
Substitutions:
DF 8 Nemanja Gudelj   81'   55'
FW 11 Luka Jović   55'
MF 6 Nemanja Maksimović   68'
MF 21 Filip Đuričić   78'
MF 7 Nemanja Radonjić   78'
Other disciplinary actions:
GK 12 Predrag Rajković   66'
Manager:
Dragan Stojković
 
GK 21 Gregor Kobel
RB 3 Silvan Widmer   15'
CB 5 Manuel Akanji
CB 22 Fabian Schär   90+9'
LB 13 Ricardo Rodriguez
CM 8 Remo Freuler
CM 10 Granit Xhaka (c)   90+5'
RW 23 Xherdan Shaqiri   69'
AM 15 Djibril Sow   69'
LW 17 Ruben Vargas   34'   83'
CF 7 Breel Embolo   90+6'
Substitutions:
DF 2 Edimilson Fernandes   69'
MF 6 Denis Zakaria   69'
MF 16 Christian Fassnacht   83'
FW 19 Noah Okafor   90+6'
Manager:
Murat Yakin

Man of the Match:
Granit Xhaka (Switzerland)[21]

Assistant referees:
Juan Pablo Belatti (Argentina)
Diego Bonfá (Argentina)
Fourth official:
Kevin Ortega (Peru)
Reserve assistant referee:
Jesús Sánchez (Peru)
Video assistant referee:
Mauro Vigliano (Argentina)
Assistant video assistant referees:
Julio Bascunan (Chile)
Nicolás Taran (Uruguay)
Leodan Gonzalez (Uruguay)
Stand-by assistant video assistant referee:
Martín Soppi (Uruguay)

Cameroon vs Brazil

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The teams had previously met six times, including in two World Cup group stage games, both won by Brazil: a 3–0 victory in 1994 and a 4–1 win in 2014.

Brazil, already assured a place in the knockout stage, made ten changes to their previous starting lineup. Despite the Brazilians having the majority of the game's chances, Cameroon would take the lead in second-half stoppage time, after Vincent Aboubakar ran into the penalty area to head the cross from Jerome Ngom Mbekeli on the right into the net's bottom corner from six yards out.[22] Aboubakar celebrated the goal by removing his shirt, receiving a second yellow card and thus being sent off.[23]

The match marked Brazil's first defeat in the group stage of a World Cup since losing to Norway in 1998. Despite their loss, Brazil clinched top spot in Group G on goal difference as they progressed to the knockout stage. Although they were still eliminated, Cameroon became the first African team to defeat Brazil at a World Cup, with this victory also being their first at the tournament since beating Saudi Arabia in 2002. This result also meant that no team finished the group stage of the World Cup with a perfect winning record for the first time since 1994.

Cameroon  1–0  Brazil
Report
Attendance: 85,986
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Cameroon
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Brazil
GK 16 Devis Epassy
RB 19 Collins Fai   32'
CB 4 Christopher Wooh
CB 24 Enzo Ebosse
LB 25 Nouhou Tolo   6'
CM 8 André-Frank Zambo Anguissa
CM 15 Pierre Kunde   28'   68'
RW 20 Bryan Mbeumo   64'
AM 13 Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting
LW 6 Moumi Ngamaleu   86'
CF 10 Vincent Aboubakar (c)   81'   90+3'
Substitutions:
FW 12 Karl Toko Ekambi   64'
MF 22 Olivier Ntcham   68'
DF 2 Jerome Ngom Mbekeli   86'
Manager:
Rigobert Song
 
GK 23 Ederson
RB 13 Dani Alves (c)
CB 14 Éder Militão   7'
CB 24 Bremer
LB 16 Alex Telles   54'
CM 15 Fabinho
CM 8 Fred   54'
RW 19 Antony   79'
AM 21 Rodrygo   54'
LW 26 Gabriel Martinelli
CF 18 Gabriel Jesus   64'
Substitutions:
DF 4 Marquinhos   54'
MF 22 Éverton Ribeiro   54'
MF 17 Bruno Guimarães   85'   54'
FW 25 Pedro   64'
FW 11 Raphinha   79'
Manager:
Tite

Man of the Match:
Devis Epassy (Cameroon)[24]

Assistant referees:
Kyle Atkins (United States)
Corey Parker (United States)
Fourth official:
Ma Ning (China)
Reserve assistant referee:
Shi Xiang (China)
Video assistant referee:
Alejandro Hernández (Spain)
Assistant video assistant referees:
Juan Martinez (Spain)
Pau Cebrián Devís (Spain)
Ricardo de Burgos Bengoetxea (Spain)
Stand-by assistant video assistant referee:
Roberto Díaz Pérez del Palomar (Spain)

Discipline

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Fair play points would have been used as tiebreakers if the overall and head-to-head records of teams were tied. These were calculated based on yellow and red cards received in all group matches as follows:[2]

  • first yellow card: −1 point;
  • indirect red card (second yellow card): −3 points;
  • direct red card: −4 points;
  • yellow card and direct red card: −5 points;

Only one of the above deductions was applied to a player in a single match.

Team Match 1 Match 2 Match 3 Points
                                   
  Brazil 1 2 −3
  Switzerland 2 1 4 −7
  Cameroon 1 2 3 1 −9
  Serbia 3 2 7 –12

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b "FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 – Match Schedule" (PDF). FIFA.com. Fédération Internationale de Football Association. 11 August 2022. Retrieved 11 August 2022.
  2. ^ a b "Regulations – FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022" (PDF). FIFA.com. Fédération Internationale de Football Association. 15 December 2021. Retrieved 30 March 2022.
  3. ^ Kelner, Martha (1 December 2017). "England draw Belgium, Panama and Tunisia in 2018 World Cup group". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 27 June 2024.
  4. ^ "Men's Ranking". FIFA. Retrieved 21 November 2022.
  5. ^ "Switzerland 1 Cameroon 0: As it happened". The Guardian. 24 November 2022. Retrieved 25 November 2022.
  6. ^ "Switzerland 1 Cameroon 0". BBC Sport. 24 November 2022. Retrieved 25 November 2022.
  7. ^ "Embolo punishes birth country in Swiss triumph". FIFA. 24 November 2022. Retrieved 24 November 2022.
  8. ^ "Brazil 2 Serbia 0". BBC Sport. 24 November 2022. Retrieved 25 November 2022.
  9. ^ "Richarlison's stunning double sinks Serbia to get Brazil up and running". The Guardian. 24 November 2022. Retrieved 25 November 2022.
  10. ^ "Richarlison at the double as Brazil begin with a bang". FIFA. 24 November 2022. Retrieved 24 November 2022.
  11. ^ "World Cup 2022: Cameroon 3–3 Serbia recap". RTE Sport. 28 November 2022. Retrieved 29 November 2022.
  12. ^ "Choupo-Moting thwarts Serbia to cap Cameroon's wild World Cup comeback". The Guardian. 28 November 2022.
  13. ^ Gastelum, Andrew (28 November 2022). "Serbia, Cameroon Tie 3–3 in Game of the Tournament". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved 20 May 2023.
  14. ^ "Goals galore in Cameroon–Serbia epic". FIFA. 28 November 2022. Retrieved 28 November 2022.
  15. ^ "Casemiro stunner ends Switzerland resistance to fire Brazil into last 16". The Guardian. 28 November 2022. Retrieved 29 November 2022.
  16. ^ "Brazil 1 Switzerland 0". BBC Sport. 28 November 2022. Retrieved 29 November 2022.
  17. ^ "Casemiro strikes late to send Brazil through". FIFA. 28 November 2022. Retrieved 28 November 2022.
  18. ^ "Shaqiri stepping up once more for Swiss". FIFA. 3 December 2022. Retrieved 3 December 2022.
  19. ^ "Game of cojones: Serbia suffer and give Granit Xhaka the last word". The Guardian. 2 December 2022. Retrieved 2 December 2022.
  20. ^ "Serbia 2-3 Switzerland: Remo Freuler scores winner to send Swiss through after epic four-goal first-half". Sky Sports. 3 December 2022. Retrieved 3 December 2022.
  21. ^ "Switzerland win five-goal thriller to seal last-16 spot". FIFA. 2 December 2022. Retrieved 2 December 2022.
  22. ^ "Aboubakar stuns Brazil with Cameroon winner but is sent off for celebration". The Guardian. 2 December 2022. Retrieved 10 March 2023.
  23. ^ "Cameroon 1 Brazil 0". BBC Sport. 2 December 2022. Retrieved 10 March 2023.
  24. ^ "Brazil bruised but through after Cameroon defeat". FIFA. 2 December 2022. Retrieved 2 December 2022.
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