Al Wakrah (Qatar): Substitute Vincent Aboubakar scored one goal and created another as Cameroon rallied from 1-3 down to draw 3-3 with Serbia at the World Cup here Monday. Vincent Aboubakar lobbed Serbian goalkeeper Vanja Milinkovic-Savic in the 64th minute and then set up striker Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting two minutes later. The thrilling draw was the first game at the World Cup in Qatar in which both teams gave up a lead.
However, the result suited neither side. They each have one point after two Group G matches and either Brazil or Switzerland can qualify with a win when they meet later Monday.
Cameroon led through central defender Jean-Charles Castelletto’s 29th minute tap-in but also conceded twice in quick succession. Strahinja Pavlovic scored the equaliser with a header in the first minute of first half stoppage time and, two minutes later, midfielder Sergej Milinkovic-Savic struck from 20 meters. Striker Aleksandar Mitrovic made it 3-1 in the 53rd at Al Janoub Stadium here.
Cameroon coach Rigobert Song dropped goalkeeper Andre Onana for the match. It was not immediately clear why Onana was left out amid reports it was for disciplinary reasons. Onana, who has 34 international caps and plays for Inter Milan, responded by posting the line-up on Instagram. His absence overshadowed a fine comeback performance when all the talk should have been about Aboubakar.
Aboubakar, the top scorer at the African Cup of Nations, turned the game when he came off the bench in the 55th minute. First, he calmly guided the ball over goalkeeper Milinkovic-Savic. The goal was given offside but awarded following a video review.
Then, a quick break sliced open the Serbian defense as Aboubakar sprinted down the right and squared the ball to give Choupo-Moting an easy goal.
Both sides had lost their opening games, with Serbia beaten 0-2 by Brazil and Cameroon losing 0-1 to Switzerland.