Cameroon need the three points tomorrow night to advance to the knockout rounds of the Qatar 2022 World Cup, but to achieve this they must earn a first-ever win against Brazil.
The Indomitable Lions are third in Group G and will progress to the round of 16 if they beat Brazil and the result between Serbia and Switzerland favours them.
As if getting the win, which would count for nothing if second-placed Switzerland beat Serbia, is hard enough, the Africans have to do it against one of the strongest teams in the tournament.
Besides, Brazil have comfortably beaten Cameroon the two times they have met at the World Cup.
The first meeting was at the USA 1994 World Cup in their second group match. Cameroon were coming off the success of being the first African team to have reached the quarter-finals of a World Cup four years previously in Italy and they were in confident mood.
The Lions had drawn their first match in the USA with Sweden and reckoned they could take on the mighty Brazilians, who had fallen at the round of 16 stage in Italy.
However, the 42-year-old Roger Milla and his teammates were no match for an inspired Brazil, who eased to a 3-0 victory.
Romario opened the scoring in the 39th minute before Marcio Santos and Bebeto extended the lead in the second half.
Incidentally, current Cameroon head coach Rigobert Song, then 17, was in action and he was sent off against the eventual champions.
The teams met again in 2014 when Brazil we’re the hosts.
Cameroon had very little to play for on the third and final matchday of the group stage, having lost to Mexico and Croatia, while Brazil had to win to qualify as Group A winners.
The hosts led 2-1 at half-time with Neymar netting either side of a Joel Matip goal for the Africans, and they eventually pulled clear to record a 4-1 win as Fred and Fernandinho struck in the second half.
This time, Cameroon must win to reach the knockout rounds for the second time ever in their eighth World Cup, which is an African record.
Cameroon will hope that having qualified, Brazil, like France did yesterday, will rest their key players and present a weakened team.
