Cameroon bow out of World Cup in style after beating Brazil

Captain Aboubakar scores late winner but Indomitable Lions fail to reach knockout stages in Qatar

Brazil forward Neymar (R) with Gabriel Jesus at the end of the defeat against Cameroon. AFP

Gabriel Jesus and his strapped knee during the Group G match against Cameroon. EPA

Vincent Aboubakar heads home as Cameroon beat Brazil 1-0 in their World Cup group-stage match at Lusail Stadium on December 2, 2022. Getty

Vincent Aboubakar of celebrates after scoring for Cameroon. Getty

Referee Ismail Elfath shows a red card to Vincent Aboubakar after the Cameroon player took his shirt off after scoring and was booked for a second time. Getty

Cameroon's Pierre Kunde attempts to block a shot by Rodrygo of Brazil. Getty

Brazil's Telles Alex receives treatment on the pitch in the second half. PA

Neymar of Brazil looks on from the bench. Getty

Brazil's Gabriel Martinelli misses a chance. AP

Brazil winger Antony goes down after a challenge by Cameroon's Tolo Nouhou. AP

Cameroon's Pierre Kunde skips past past a challenge by Antony of Brazil. PA

Brazil midfielder Fred shoots at goal. Getty

Brazil's Dani Alves heads the ball. AP

Brazil's Gabriel Martinelli after missing a chance. Getty

Gabriel Martinelli of Brazil shoots at goal. Getty

A late goal by captain Vincent Aboubakar ended Cameroon's 20-year wait for a win at the World Cup as the Indomitable Lions bowed out in style by beating a much-changed Brazil 1-0 at the Lusail Stadium on Friday.

With qualification already in the bag after wins over Serbia and Switzerland, Brazil still won Group G, ahead of Switzerland on goal difference, and will face Group H runners-up South Korea, who beat Portugal 2-1, in the next round.

Cameroon, whose last win at the World Cup was in 2002 against Saudi Arabia, were on the back foot for most of the match but sprung to life at the death.

Aboubakar powered a header past Ederson then was sent off for collecting a second yellow for taking off his shirt in celebration.

The match played out in a relatively subdued atmosphere in the cavernous Lusail Stadium, the tournament's biggest venue, with Brazil's reserves eager to impress but Tite's side unable to assert their usual flair.

The manager's mind was clearly on the knockout stage here as he made nine changes, including handing a start to 39-year-old Dani Alves, making him Brazil's oldest ever men's international player.

Gabriel Martinelli was Brazil's liveliest player and nearly put the five-time champions ahead in the 14th minute when he was picked out by Fred's ball over the top, but the Arsenal forward's header drew a fine reaction save from Devis Epassy.

Cameroon offered nearly no attacking threat until the first half injury time, when Nicolas Moumi Ngamaleu's cross was met with a powerful downwards header by Bryan Mbeumo that Ederson clawed away one-handed at full stretch.

Tite had seen enough and made a triple change soon after the interval, bringing on Marquinho for the injured Alex Telles, and replacing Rodrygo and Fred with Everton Ribeiro and Bruno Guimaraes.

The substitutes stirred Brazil into a sudden flurry of chances with Epassy forced into action three times in as many minutes.

First, Martinelli stung the Cameroon keeper's palms with a snap shot in the 56th minute.

Next, Eder Militao tried his luck from the ensuing corner coaxing a fumble out of the Cameroon keeper, who recovered to scramble the ball out to safety, before the lively Antony got in on the act, forced Epassy into a diving save to keep out his curling effort.

Tite sent on Pedro in the 64th minute and Rafinha in the 79th as Brazil sought to save their perfect record in the group, but Cameroon clung on until Aboubakar arrived in the right place at the right time to seize his moment.