Germany vs. Cameroon: Final score 3-1, Die Mannschaft wins Confederations Cup group

Germany has won their Confederations Cup group and has booked a date with Mexico in the semifinals, but they didn’t do so without controversy. Cameroon was still very much in contention to play spoiler in Sunday’s match until a Video Assistant Referee review saw Ernest Mabouka sent off. Germany scored shortly afterwards, putting them in control. Each side scored once more before the end of the match, with Die Mannschaft winning 3-1.

The first half was mostly uneventful, with Germany controlling possession and creating very little with it. Joshua Kimmich had the best chance of the half, missing a point-blank header in the 24th minute. Marc-Andre ter Stegen had to make a big save in the 45th minute to keep the score level, tipping a shot by Andre Zambo Anguissa over the bar.

But Germany started quickly in the second half, and had the lead by the 48th minute. Kerem Demirbay was the scorer, tallying his first career goal for his country. He both started the move and finished it, surging forward from midfield and playing a one-two with Julian Draxler. Demirbay collected Draxler’s backheel pass 30 yards from goal, took a long stride forward, then smashed the ball into the back of the net from the edge of the box.

Mabouka’s red card came as a result of a challenge where both him and Emre Can put their boots up high in an attempt to control the ball. Can won it, and Mabouka caught him with his studs, for which he saw a yellow card. It was clearly an accident and not a particularly dangerous play, but VAR inexplicably switched the call to a red card.

In the immediate aftermath of that incident, Germany scored again. Kimmich set up the goal with an excellent cross, and Timo Werner got down low to head past Joseph Ondoa.

Cameroon got back into the match in the 79th minute when Vincent Aboubakar beat ter Stegen to a cross at the near post and headed past him, but the Germans restored order quickly. Just two minutes later, Werner finished off a cutback from Benjamin Heinrichs for his second goal of the day, sealing the victory for Germany.