Brazil vs. Cameroon, 2014 World Cup preview: Probably not competitive
This isn’t going to go well for the Indomitable Lions.
Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
This has been a disappointing World Cup for hosts Brazil thus far, but the schedule has worked out in their favor. Instead of getting Cameroon when they're still fighting to get out of the group, they come across the Indomitable Lions after an embarrassing performance in which Alex Song got sent off and Benoit Assou-Ekotto tried to fight a teammate. Don't expect Cameroon to put up that much of a fight (4:00 p.m. ET, ESPN2).
Team news
Brazil are fully healthy, so they should make one change to their lineup. With Hulk back, expect him to come back into the right wing role that Ramires occupied against Mexico. However, neither of them were terribly effective in their starts, so it wouldn't be too shocking to see Bernard or Willian get a chance to win that place going forward.
Cameroon are obviously without Song after he got sent off for punching Mario Mandzukic, and it’s unlikely they start Assou-Ekotto after he tried to start a fight. Samuel Eto’o appears to be fit enough to play after missing the first two games, but his return is too little, too late for Cameroon. Don’t be surprised if extreme changes are made to the lineup for this game.
Brazil vs. Cameroon
Projected lineups (left to right)
Brazil (4-2-3-1): Julio Cesar; Marcelo, David Luiz, Thiago Silva, Dani Alves; Luiz Gustavo, Paulinho; Neymar, Oscar, Hulk; Fred
Cameroon (4-3-3): Charles Itandje; Henri Bedimo, Aurelien Chedjou, Nicolas N'Koulou, Allan Nyom; Eyong Enoh, Stephane M'Bia, Joel Matip; Benjamin Moukandjo, Samuel Eto'o, Maxim Choupo-Moting
Key matchups
Hulk vs. Cameroon's left - It's difficult to figure out why Hulk is so undroppable. He's been underwhelming for a long time in a Brazil shirt, even at the Olympics against Under-23 players. Cameroon aren't likely to provide very serious opposition here, so if Hulk can't finally start looking like a world beater in this game, there might be no helping him.
Samuel Eto’o vs... okay, everything - Poor Samuel Eto’o. He has nothing to do with Cameroon’s bad situation and he’s getting sent out for a World Cup swan song in which his team could lose by a lot of goals. He probably won’t get much support going forward, as per usual. Except, unlike in the last couple of World Cups, he’s a bit too old to do everything for himself.
Prediction
Oh god, so much blood. 4-0 Brazil.
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