Switzerland’s Breel Embolo scored the only goal against Cameroon – the country of his birth – in a hard-fought World Cup Group G opener.
Embolo refused to celebrate when he finished off a slick Swiss attack shortly after half-time.
The Indomitable Lions were unfortunate to lose after an enterprising display at the Al Janoub Stadium in Qatar.
Victory was vital for Switzerland, as both sides still have to face Brazil in the group.
Embolo moved to Switzerland from Cameroon with his family as a six-year-old and pledged his allegiance to the European nation after being granted citizenship in 2014.
At the age of just 18, he set up the Embolo Foundation to support refugee children in Switzerland and disadvantaged children in the country of his birth.
He said before the game it would be “a very special” occasion to play against Cameroon and when he scored, he respectfully raised his arms and closed his eyes.
His strike ensured victory for a side with high expectations – boss Murat Yakin has declared his squad “the best Switzerland side ever” and said he expects them to achieve their best return at a World Cup.
Yet they struggled in the first half in the face of a vibrant Cameroon start and ought to have gone behind, with Eric Choupo-Moting, Bryan Mbeumo and Martin Hongla all missing presentable opportunities.
The goal rocked Cameroon and the Swiss had chances to extend their lead, only for Andre Onana to save superbly from Ruben Vargas, while Embolo and substitute Haris Seferovic were denied by last-ditch defending.
The Indomitable Lions have now lost eight successive games at the World Cup finals but Rigobert Song’s side impressed at times here.
Their next game against Serbia will be pivotal if they are to stand any chance of becoming the first Cameroon team to progress beyond the group stage since 1990.
For Switzerland, the win gives them breathing space before their match against group favourites Brazil on Monday.
How to play
Rate players out of 10 throughout or after the game. The rater will close 30 minutes after the final whistle.
Rating range key = Give it up = Pure perfection
Switzerland
-
Squad number1Player nameSommer
-
Squad number3Player nameWidmer
-
Squad number5Player nameAkanji
-
Squad number4Player nameElvedi
-
Squad number13Player nameRodrÃguez
-
Squad number8Player nameFreuler
-
Squad number10Player nameXhaka
-
Squad number23Player nameShaqiri
-
Squad number15Player nameSow
-
Squad number17Player nameVargas
-
Squad number7Player nameEmbolo
-
Squad number9Player nameSeferovic
-
Squad number18Player nameCömert
-
Squad number19Player nameOkafor
-
Squad number20Player nameFrei
-
Squad number25Player nameRieder
Cameroon
-
Squad number23Player nameOnana
-
Squad number19Player nameCollins Fai
-
Squad number21Player nameCastelletto
-
Squad number3Player nameNkoulou
-
Squad number25Player nameTolo
-
Squad number8Player nameAnguissa
-
Squad number14Player nameOum Gouet
-
Squad number18Player nameHongla
-
Squad number20Player nameMbeumo
-
Squad number13Player nameChoupo-Moting
-
Squad number12Player nameToko-Ekambi
-
Squad number5Player nameOndoua
-
Squad number6Player nameNgamaleu
-
Squad number7Player nameNkoudou
-
Squad number10Player nameAboubakar
Line-ups
Switzerland
Formation 4-2-3-1
- 1Sommer
- 3Widmer
- 5AkanjiBooked at 83mins
- 4ElvediBooked at 64mins
- 13RodrÃguezSubstituted forCömertat 90′minutes
- 8Freuler
- 10Xhaka
- 23ShaqiriSubstituted forOkaforat 72′minutes
- 15SowSubstituted forFreiat 71′minutes
- 17VargasSubstituted forRiederat 81′minutes
- 7EmboloSubstituted forSeferovicat 72′minutes
Substitutes
- 2Fernandes
- 6Zakaria
- 9Seferovic
- 12Omlin
- 14Aebischer
- 16Fassnacht
- 18Cömert
- 19Okafor
- 20Frei
- 21Kobel
- 22Schär
- 24Köhn
- 25Rieder
- 26Jashari
Cameroon
Formation 4-3-3
- 23Onana
- 19Fai CollinsBooked at 36mins
- 21Castelletto
- 3Nkoulou
- 25Tolo
- 8Anguissa
- 14Oum Gouet
- 18HonglaSubstituted forOndouaat 68′minutes
- 20MbeumoSubstituted forNgamaleuat 81′minutes
- 13Choupo-MotingSubstituted forAboubakarat 74′minutes
- 12Toko-EkambiSubstituted forNkoudouat 74′minutes
Substitutes
- 1Ngapandouetnbu
- 2Ngom Mbekeli
- 4Wooh
- 5Ondoua
- 6Ngamaleu
- 7Nkoudou
- 9Nsame
- 10Aboubakar
- 11Bassogog
- 15Kunde
- 16Epassy
- 17Mbaizo
- 22Ntcham
- 24Ebosse
- 26Marou
- Referee:
- Facundo Tello
- Attendance:
- 39,089
Live Text
-
Match ends, Switzerland 1, Cameroon 0.
-
Second Half ends, Switzerland 1, Cameroon 0.
-
Manuel Akanji (Switzerland) wins a free kick on the right wing.
-
Foul by Georges-Kévin Nkoudou (Cameroon).
-
Corner, Switzerland. Conceded by Jean-Charles Castelletto.
-
Attempt blocked. Haris Seferovic (Switzerland) left footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Fabian Rieder with a headed pass.
-
Corner, Switzerland. Conceded by Nouhou Tolo.
-
Substitution, Switzerland. Eray Cömert replaces Ricardo RodrÃguez.
-
Foul by Gaël Ondoua (Cameroon).
-
Fabian Rieder (Switzerland) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
-
Attempt saved. Granit Xhaka (Switzerland) left footed shot from outside the box is saved in the bottom right corner. Assisted by Noah Okafor.
-
Foul by Moumi Ngamaleu (Cameroon).
-
Ricardo RodrÃguez (Switzerland) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
-
Manuel Akanji (Switzerland) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
-
Foul by Manuel Akanji (Switzerland).
-
Frank Anguissa (Cameroon) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
-
Corner, Switzerland. Conceded by Nicolas Nkoulou.
-
Substitution, Cameroon. Moumi Ngamaleu replaces Bryan Mbeumo.
-
Substitution, Switzerland. Fabian Rieder replaces Rubén Vargas.
-
Foul by Fabian Frei (Switzerland).
Get the latest results and goal notifications for any team at the Fifa World Cup by downloading the BBC Sport app: Apple – Android – Amazon
Get your daily dose of Fifa World Cup reaction, debate & analysis with World Cup Daily on BBC Sounds
