Fulham ace Aleksandar Mitrovic scored once as Serbia and Cameroon drew 3-3 at the 2022 World Cup. The Group G tie is one of the highest-scoring stalemates in tournament history.
Both teams would have benefited from a win in Al-Wakrah to boost their hopes of making the Round of 16. Cameroon had lost 1-0 to Switzerland in their opening game, whilst Brazil beat Serbia 2-0. Now, they must win their last ties for any chance of making the knockouts.
Only two games across the previous 21 World Cups and at Qatar 2022 so far had ended as 3-3 draws after 90 minutes before Cameroon and Serbia met. Two games have also ended as 4-4 draws after 90 minutes since FIFA first held its quadrennial tournament during 1930.
Serbia will wonder how they did not beat Cameroon in a 3-3 draw at the World Cup
Serbia will wonder how they did not beat Cameroon after the two nations played out a 3-3 draw at the 2022 World Cup. Mitrovic got his nation’s third goal at Al Janoub Stadium after 53 minutes on Monday. But Cameroon replied after their 1-0 lead turned into a 3-1 deficit.
Jean-Charles Castelletto prodded home at the rear post from a flicked-on corner to give his central African country the lead in the 29th minute. But Cameroon failed to mark Strahinja Pavlovic in the first minute of first-half stoppage-time as he headed in Dusan Tadic’s cross.
To make matters worse for Les Lions Indomptables, Sergej Milinkovic-Savic buried Andrija Zivkovic’s pass in the third minute of stoppage time, as well. Then came Mitrovic to make it 3-1 in the 53rd as the Fulham star made up for his host of misses earlier on in the game.
Yet not to be beaten, Vincent Aboubakar came off Les Lions Indomptables’ bench to halve the deficit on 66 minutes. The striker might have thought he was offside – but he was not – as Aboubakar chipped Vanja Milinkovic-Savic. Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting then got a third.
Cameroon collapsed in first-half stoppage time to let Serbia carry a two-goal lead into the break. They could ill-afford to lose the tie, though, and responded in stunning fashion with Choupo-Moting getting a 66th-minute equaliser. Neither side could then find the winner.
Now, Cameroon and Serbia’s 3-3 stalemate has gone down as one of the highest-scoring World Cup draws of all time to date. So, HITC Football has taken a look at the other high-scoring stalemates through 90 minutes across the 22 editions of FIFA’s quadrennial event.
Brazil beat Poland 6-5 after extra time at the 1938 World Cup after a 4-4 stalemate
Brazil needed extra time to boot Poland out of the 1938 World Cup in the Round of 16. The teams played out a 4-4 draw through regular time at the Stade de la Meinau in Strasbourg. Two goals from Leonidas in the additional half-hour proved enough for the Selecao to win.
Ezi did not give up Poland’s fight, though, as the Katowice native hit his fourth goal of the tie in the 118th minute. His hat-trick had also forced the last 16 encounter into extra time after firing in the 89th. While his first two goals had drawn the tie level at 3-3 in the 59th.
A penalty by Fryderyk Scherfke initially drew Poland level after 23 minutes after Leonidas broke the deadlock inside 18 minutes. Yet Romeu Pellicciari and Jose Peracio restored the South American’s advantage before the break. Peracio also scored to make it 4-3 to Brazil.
The USSR and Colombia played out the highest-scoring draw in World Cup history
The USSR and Colombia played out the highest-scoring game in World Cup history to end as a draw in 1962. FIFA drew the nations to face each other in Chile during Group 1 at the Estadio Carlos Dittborn in Arica. It was also the second of their three first round fixtures.
Valentin Ivanov got the USSR off to the ideal start when the centre-forward scored inside eight minutes. Igor Chislenko and Ivanov again then added to their advantage to lead 3-0 after just 11 minutes. Yet German Aceros gave Colombia a slim window for a comeback.
But when Viktor Ponedelnik scored 11 minutes into the second half, it appeared the USSR would avoid any collapse. Not that it stopped Marcos Coll (68’), Antonio Rada (72’) and Marino Klinger (86’) plugging away and securing a 4-4 draw for Los Cafeteros’ only point.
England and Belgium played out a 4-4 draw after extra time at Switzerland 1954
FIFA allowed group stage games at the 1954 World Cup in Switzerland to go to extra time and finish as draws. But just two games required an additional half-hour and each ended as stalemates. Brazil drew 1-1 with Yugoslavia, while England and Belgium also drew 4-4.
Pol Anoul broke the deadlock for Belgium just five minutes into their Group 4 match with England. Yet when the centre-forward scored his second of the game in the 71st minute, the Three Lions led 3-2. Only for Rik Coppens to beat Gil Merrick and send the tie to extra time.
Coppens’ 76th-minute goal struck out the lead Ivor Broadis (26’ and 63’) and Nat Lofthouse (36’) had built England. An own goal from Jimmy Dickinson in the 94th minute then struck out the lead Lofthouse had just given the Three Lions when he turned Broadis’ pass home.
Portugal and Spain opened their 2018 World Cup campaign with a 3-3 draw
Portugal and Spain opened their 2018 World Cup campaign with a 3-3 draw in Group B en route to both making the knockout rounds. The Selecao would ultimately finish second to La Roja on goals scored. Both won one tie and drew twice but Spain scored one goal more.
Cristiano Ronaldo accounted for all three of Portugal’s goals as the Selecao held Spain to a 3-3 draw. He broke the deadlock from the penalty spot after just four minutes and scored again in the 44th. Diego Costa drew La Roja level in the 24th and scored again in the 55th.
Nacho wasted little time in building on Costa’s second as the Madrid native gave Spain the lead for the first time on 58 minutes. His goal seemed like it would be enough for the 2010 champions to hold on and win. But Ronaldo emerged two minutes from time to fire again.
The Sochi showdown is the only World Cup tie in which Ronaldo has scored multiple goals over 19 career appearances. Even though the 193-cap Selecao icon is now the first player to score goals at five World Cups. He scored once in 2006, 2010, 2014 and so far in 2022.
Now, the 3-3 draw between Cameroon and Serbia – led by Mitrovic of Fulham – is also one of the highest-scoring draws in World Cup history with Portugal and Spain at Russia 2018.
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