Five-time African champions Cameroon paid heavily for their wastefulness in front of the goal in their opening group G match of the 2022 FIFA World Cup as they lost 1-0 to Switzerland at the Al Janoub Stadium on Thursday afternoon.The Indomitable Lions failed to convert the scores of scoring chances created in the first half only to concede the match winning goal hardly two minutes into the second half.The Rigobert Song coached team was looking to be the first African country to score in the tournament but lack of precision in the final third saw them register their eighth straight loss at the World Cup.##NAJAVA_MECA_6833984##Interestingly, it was the Cameroonian born Breel Embolo who struck the winner, capitalizing on sloppy defending by his country of birth to net the winner.The first open chance of the game fell to the path of Karl Toko Ekambi who skied his effort inside the penalty area after Yann Sommer palmed a shot from Bryan Mbeumo back to play.Ekambi who was arriving in the box unmarked went for power over technique and precision at a time when the ball was begging for a simple tap in.A sublime pass from Samuel Gouet had sliced through the Switzerland half, finding Mbeumo on the left wing who fired straight to Sommer’s nearest corner but Ekambi who probably wanted to send the ball to the roof could not tap in the rebound.Brazil meet Serbia in a history-packed skirmish that promises nothing but fireworksCameroon who appeared the better side in the first half pressed for the opener forcing Switzerland to commit numbers in their territory in a bid to contain the pressure.🇨🇲 Born in Cameroon🇨🇭 Represents Switzerland⚽️ Scores in #SUICMRRespect, Breel Embolo 🤝#FIFAWorldCup | #Qatar2022 pic.twitter.com/UCpZhx0TCY— FIFA World Cup (@FIFAWorldCup) November 24, 2022 Ekambi was once again guilty of squandering another clear-cut chance in the 34th minute as he failed to direct the ball to the target after Collins Fai whipped in a decent cross.Switzerland had the first sniff at goal in the 39th minute when Embolo was allowed time and space in the box but Victor Castelletto read the move well and made a brave tackle to deny the forward from pulling the trigger.The Red-hot Chuopo Moting would have given Cameroon the lead in the 40th minute after finding himself in the box unmarked and within a shooting range but his hard-drilled shot was blocked for a corner.The Cameroonians let a huge sigh of relief in the dying seconds of the first half as the unmarked Manuel Akanji rose high to head from a corner kick but the ball rolled inches off the target.Cameroon were made to pay for the chances wasted in the first half as Embolo tapped in the ball from close range after Xherdan Shaqiri found him with a low cross just two minutes after restart to give Switzerland the lead.Embolo who was born in Cameroon and whose parents still live in the Central African state, as a show of respect had muted celebrations despite being his first goal in the World Cup.Dark horses in front of the first hurdle on their way to eternity – it’s Son that worries themIt is after finding the back of the net that Switzerland took control of the proceedings unlike in the first half where they were the second-best team on the pitch.Cameroonian goalkeeper Andre Onana pulled an excellent save in the 65th minute to deny Ruben Vargas from doubling the advantage after he was picked by Shaqiri’s cut back.Despite trailing, Cameroon showed no urgency allowing Switzerland the freedom to knock the ball around and defend their advantage up to the final whistle.
