Accessibility links

Breaking News

Apologetic Embolo Gives Swiss Narrow Win over Cameroon


Switzerland's Breel Embolo fights for the ball with Cameroon's Jean-Charles Castelletto during the World Cup group G soccer match at the Al Janoub Stadium in Al Wakrah, Qatar, Nov. 24, 2022.
Switzerland's Breel Embolo fights for the ball with Cameroon's Jean-Charles Castelletto during the World Cup group G soccer match at the Al Janoub Stadium in Al Wakrah, Qatar, Nov. 24, 2022.

AL WAKRAH, QATAR — An apologetic Breel Embolo scored the winner against the country of his birth to hand Switzerland a 1-0 victory over Cameroon in their World Cup Group G clash at the Al Janoub Stadium on Thursday.

Embolo swept home a low Xherdan Shaqiri cross after 48 minutes and then stood still with a rueful frown on his face as his team mates celebrated around him. The 25-year-old was born in Yaounde but raised in Basel.

Cameroon were the better side in the opening half and might have had the lead as Karl Toko Ekambi, Eric-Maxim Choupo-Moting and Martin Hongla all missed good chances against a lackluster Switzerland side that battled to get out of first gear.

But the Swiss were much improved in the second period and took the lead through Embolo's well-worked goal. Ruben Vargas missed an excellent chance to score a second but was thwarted by goalkeeper Andre Onana as Cameroon ran out of steam.

Uruguay-South Korea

Uruguay defender Diego Godin and midfielder Federico Valverde both hit the woodwork as the South Americans were held to a 0-0 draw by South Korea in their opening Group H game on Thursday.

Wearing a black mask to protect a facial fracture, Son Heung-min started for the South Koreans, yet it was teammate Hwang Ui-jo who came closest to breaking the deadlock, but he scooped his shot over the bar with the goal at his mercy.

The best chance of a pulsating first half fell to Uruguay captain Godin, whose glancing header from a corner hit the foot of the left-hand post just before the break.

Valverde fired a stinging shot in the final minute of regulation time that hit the top of the post as the two sides battled to a stalemate in front of a crowd of 41,663.

XS
SM
MD
LG