When Breel Embolo deceived André Onana in the 48th minute, his first instinct was to celebrate his first goal at the World Cup.
Then he realised.
And as promised, he lowered his head and stopped.
Because the victory of Switzerland against Cameroon inevitably leaves a bitter taste for the young 25-year-old striker.
It is his country of birth with which he keeps deep ties.
He preferred Switzerland
"I have good relations with several players, they are really friends. This match is a bit of a direct and indirect conflict (laughs). I know there will be a lot of emotion", explained the most Cameroonians from the Swiss on the eve of the match.
And the emotion did not prevent him from playing his role as the spearhead of the Nati.
Embolo obtained his Swiss passport in 2014. At the time of choosing his selection, he rejected an offer from Cameroon who wanted to take him to the World Cup in Brazil.
However, he chose Switzerland, where he arrived at the age of six after a short stay in France.
He never forgot Cameroon.
"I have a lot of friends there, the majority of my family lives there, my dad still lives in Cameroon," he explained on the eve of the match, claiming to be the first fan of the Indomitable Lions.
Cameroon spoils
Indomitable Lions who can harbor regrets.
Cornered in the first quarter of an hour, the Cameroonians first knew how to be dangerous on quick transitions.
Mbeumo was thus found in the depths.
However, he chooses to ignore Choupo-Moting at the far post, to prefer a cross shot that Sommer pushes back.
The ball then fails on Toko Ekambi who propels his half-volley over (10th).
Situation reversed a few minutes later with the Bayern striker who escaped but did not cross for his compatriot from Brentford (14th).
The "Nati" retreats and Cameroon takes control of the game. Hongla signals with an attempt that Sommer rejects.
Toko Ekambi is very close to pushing deep but it is cleared in extremis by a Swiss defender (30th).
Collinsn Fai overflows on the right and delivers a low cross for Toko Ekambi but Widmer gets ahead of him in front of goal to ward off the danger (35').
However, Switzerland recalls just before the break that it did not go for nothing in the quarter-finals of Euro-2021: Embolo escapes and it takes a comeback in extremis and a perfect tackle from Castelleto to save the Cameroonian homeland.
On the corner that follows, the ball lands on the head of Elvadi.
His recovery grazes the post (44th).
It was on returning from the locker room that Embolo knocked out his friends.
Xhaka finds Freuler alone in the axis which shifts Shaqiri to the right.
This last center at the penalty spot for the native of Yaoundé who easily concludes (48th, 1-0).
Wondering why Breel Embolo didn't celebrate his #SUI goal?
Ligue 1 followers surely know… The ASM striker was born in Cameroon 🇨🇲.
#SUICAM #WorldCup2022 pic.twitter.com/nDErD33PQv
— Cindy Colmenares (@C1ndy9) November 24, 2022
In reaction, Choupo-Moting performs a small number in the surface along the line.
He takes his chance from a tight angle but Sommer diverts for a corner (55th).
If the Swiss are close to doubling the bet twice (65th, 66th), Cameroon plays their all-out at the end of the match.
Maxim Eric Choupo-Moting leaves his place to the emblematic Vincent Aboubakar, top scorer of the CAN, to the applause of the Cameroonians who made the trip.
But the latter fails to reverse the situation.
The African teams still can't do it in this World Cup in Qatar.
Before Ghana's game against Portugal, neither of them had managed to score a goal since the start of the tournament.
Above all, the Cameroonian has greatly complicated his chances of reaching the round of 16, while he still has Serbia and especially Brazil to face.
Embolo must hope that his Cameroonian family forgives him.
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