The 2022 FIFA World Cup has already reached a point from where there is no looking back for any of the participating nations. The teams who got themselves a headstart with a victory must carry over their momentum and try to book their slots into the next round with one group game left.
Those who have suffered defeats are supposed to dust themselves down and get their campaign back on track, or else book an early flight ticket back home from Qatar.
Cameroon and Serbia are two teams that will be desperate to get their respective campaigns up and running with their first points and keep their hopes of prolonging their stay in Qatar alive heading into what feels like a make-or-break tie-breaker for both teams following disappointment in the opening weekend.
The Indomitable Lions were denied a perfect start to their World Cup campaign last Thursday when Switzerland edged past them 1-0 thanks to a goal from African-born Breel Embolo.
While the African side did give a competent account of themselves against a 15th-ranked Swiss side, they lacked the clinical edge and killer instinct in crucial moments to win.
Rigobert Song's side will aim to improve on their performance from the last match and produce that additional quality and creativity in attack to get themselves over the line.
For Serbia, they were undone by Richarlison’s brilliant brace in the second half. They did brilliantly to shut out the perennial attacking prowess of Brazil in the first half with some dogged defending that came at the cost of sacrificing a normally free-scoring style of play.
With deadly strikers leading the line, supported by top-class playmakers and wing-backs to provide service, the Nati side need to go all guns blazing here and the all-out defensive attitude shackles should come off in this must-win encounter.
Cameroon vs Serbia confirmed lineups
Cameroon XI (4-3-3): Epassy; Fai, N'Koulou, Castelletto, Tolo; Anguissa, Kunde, Hongla; Mbeumo, Choupo-Moting, Toko Ekambi
Serbia XI (3-4-1-2): V. Milinkovic-Savic; Milenkovic, Veljkovic, Pavlovic; Zivkovic, Lukic, S. Milinkovic-Savic, Kostic; Tadic; Maksimovic, Mitrovic
Cameroon vs Serbia LIVE updates
Cameroon and Serbia's next fixtures
As alluded earlier, this is a key showdown that will see the loser ruled out from contention for the next round, with Brazil and Switzerland meeting later in the day in what will be another important game that will determine how this group unravels.
Cameroon will face top contenders Brazil in the last group stage match, while Serbia will face Switzerland to round off their World Cup group phase.