Brazil was the clear favourite to top this group, and the five-time FIFA World Cup champion did not disappoint. Brazil was the best side on view, save for a 0-1 upset at the hands of Cameroon in the last game.
But by this stage, Brazil was guaranteed a spot in the knockouts. It took an injury time goal from Vincent Aboubakar to put Cameroon ahead, but the win was not enough for the African side to gain a spot in the next round.
Brazil had a scare early in the campaign, when Neymar suffered an ankle injury during the opening game against Serbia. The star player missed the remaining group games. Fortunately for Brazil, the squad was packed with enough talent to compensate for Neymar’s absence.
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There was a hard-fought race to grab the second qualifying spot. It came down to two evenly-matched sides in Serbia and Switzerland. On the last day of the group matches, Switzerland held its nerve to record a 3-2 win and qualify for the next round.
Serbia’s poor World Cup record — since competing as an independent nation in 2010 — continued. Despite the presence of a robust group of players, the side has failed to make it past the group stage in all three of its World Cup appearances (2010, 2018 and 2022).
Switzerland, on the other hand, was consistent once again. Granit Xhaka’s men ensured that the side made it to the knockout round for a third consecutive time.
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Cameroon, the underdog, put on a spirited show. The side recovered splendidly from a 0-1 loss to Switzerland to salvage a 3-3 draw against Serbia. Down 1-3, Cameroon clawed back with goals from Aboubakar and Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting. A 1-0 win over Brazil showed that the African nation, which famously made a fairytale quarterfinal run in the 1990 World Cup, is still a force to reckon with.
Solid show: In a Brazilian side packed with attacking talent, it was crucial for holding midfielder Casemiro to keep things tidy and compact. | Photo Credit: AP
Best goal: Richarlison vs Serbia
With a flick up with his left foot followed by the sweetest bicycle kick with his right, Richarlison made a lasting impression. It was Richarlison’s second goal in Brazil’s opening match against Serbia, which put the exclamation mark on a 2-0 win. And to think that just a few weeks prior to the start of the World Cup, Richarlison’s spot in the squad was under threat. He had suffered a calf injury when playing for Tottenham in the Premier League, leading the forward to fear the worst.
He recovered in time, and was named by coach Tite in the squad. It did not take long for Richarlison to repay the trust shown in him.
Best player: Casemiro
In a Brazilian side packed with attacking talent, it was crucial for holding midfielder Casemiro to keep things tidy and compact. Former Brazil international Gilberto Silva eloquently explained Casemiro’s vital role, in his column for the BBC — “My job when Brazil won the 2002 World Cup was to be invisible on the pitch — if I did it right, it made things easier for the players in front of me, as well as for myself. It is the same situation now for Casemiro, the defensive midfielder who is at the heart of this Brazil team trying to end our 20-year wait to win it again. He has a great responsibility in my old position.”
When the chance came, as it did against Switzerland, Casemiro was happy to find the net. Casemiro brought a dull affair to life when he fired a perfect shot from the outside of his boot to give Brazil a 1-0 win.
Best game: Serbia 2-3 Switzerland
The group stage reached a crescendo when the two sides took the field on the last day. A knockout spot was on the line, and a goalfest ensured. It was a match of oscillating fortunes at Stadium 974, with the lead changing hands. Xherdan Shaqiri gave Switzerland the early advantage, before goals from Aleksandar Mitrovic and Dusan Vlahovic — within the space of 10 minutes — put Serbia ahead.
Breel Embolo then came to the party to pull Switzerland level. The match-winner came from Remo Freuler, who calmly finished with his left-foot to power his team through.
From being a win away from joining Brazil in the round-of-16, Serbia found itself at the bottom of the group.
| Position | Team | Played | Won | Draw | Lost | Points | GF | GA | GD |
| 1 | Brazil | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 3 | 1 | +2 |
| 2 | Switzerland | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 4 | 3 | +1 |
| 3 | Cameroon | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 0 |
| 4 | Serbia | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 5 | 8 | -3 |
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