December 2, 2022 World Cup news and highlights

The Round of 16 is now set for the 2022 Qatar World Cup after Brazil and Switzerland booked their tickets on Friday.

Here’s a recap of Friday’s matches:

Considered one of the favorites to win the tournament, Brazil and its opponent Cameroon were held goalless until the second minute of stoppage time. Cameroon’s Vincent Aboubakar scored the first and only goal of the game with a well-placed header.

Despite hanging on to defeat Brazil 1-0, Cameroon is going home due to finishing third in the group. The defeat is Brazil’s first loss in the group stage since 1998 against Norway, snapping a 17-match unbeaten streak. Brazil will face South Korea in the next round on Monday.

Switzerland advanced after defeating Serbia 3-2 at Stadium 974. This is the third straight World Cup in which the Swiss men advanced to the Round of 16.

Tensions grew between both teams in the closing minutes after players were pushing and shoving each other. There were 11 total yellow cards given between both teams during the match. 

Switzerland will face superstar Cristiano Ronaldo and Portugal on Tuesday.  

Here are the teams who qualified for the Round of 16:

Switzerland's Remo Freuler, rig celebrates scoring their third goal with Ricardo Rodriguez REUTERS/Suhaib Salem

Switzerland needed all three of its goals to triumph over Serbia and advance to the knockout stage.

Serbia fought valiantly, scoring twice in the first half and keeping the time of possession and shot attempts roughly even throughout the contest. Ultimately, the team could not find a late equalizer and fell, 3-2.

The Swiss will be joined by Brazil from Group G in the Round of 16.

The loss eliminates Serbia from Qatar 2022.

Cameroon's Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting heads the ball.

Brazil and Cameroon stayed in a scoreless tie throughout the match — until Vincent Aboubakar delivered an opener for the Indomitable Lions during stoppage time.

Despite the incredible turn of events in the nick of time, it wasn’t enough to change the outcome for Cameroon. The team did not pick up enough points to change Group G’s standings to advance to the Round of 16

Friday’s match at the Lusail Stadium had been largely uneventful for 90 minutes with both sides failing to find a breakthrough. Brazil had already booked its place in the next round and rested many of its key players.

Cameroon knew it needed at least a win against the Brazilians but had failed to really trouble its opponent until a frantic stoppage time period.

Aboubakar’s goal may not have helped its side into the Round of 16 but it’s historical nonetheless – Brazil hadn’t lost a group stage match since 1998.

However, the striker was also shown a second yellow card for taking his shirt off in celebration, meaning he was sent off the pitch before full-time.

Brazil will face South Korea in the next round on Monday.

This post has been updated with more details about the match.

Cameroon scored a goal, thanks to Vincent Aboubakar after an assist from Ngom!

The Indomitable Lions lead Brazil 1-0.

Aboubakar took off his jersey, leading to a second yellow card, but that didn’t stop him from holding his shirt up to cheering fans. That second yellow card sent him off the field.

What a way to go out!

Switzerland's Remo Freuler celebrates in front of Switzerland supporters after scoring his team's third goal.

The second half started much like the first half ended – with plenty of action.

It’s 3-2 after Swiss midfielder Remo Freuler scored a brilliant goal in the 48th minute. It was a team goal, set up by a flick pass from Reuben Vargas.

The boisterous Serbian fans have fallen a bit quieter as they nervously watch their team in need of two goals to advance in the tournament.

Cameroon's Collins Fai, left, controls the ball past Brazil's Gabriel Martinelli.

While action can be expected from both sides in this match, it is absolute table stakes for Cameroon to bring more 🔥 to their game, overcome the Seleção defense, and score some goals if the team wants to stay in contention for a spot in the knockouts.

Brazil has kept the ball and made more attempts on Cameroon’s goal, but have not yet scored an opener.

At the moment, things stand at 0-0 for both teams.

Serbia's Dusan Tadic in action with Switzerland's Silvan Widmer on Friday.

The teams are back on the pitch for the second half at Stadium 974 in Doha, Qatar.

What’s in store? More goals, quite possibly, based on what we saw in the furious first 45 minutes of play.

While Switzerland can potentially advance to the knockout stage even with a draw, it is hoping for an outright win, which would guarantee a trip to the Round of 16.

Serbia is under even greater pressure. It must win for any shot at moving on.

Serbia's Strahinja Pavlovic, top, and Switzerland's Xherdan Shaqiri challenge for the ball.

An exciting first half has drawn to a close with Serbia and Switzerland deadlocked at 2-2.

Serbian Dušan Vlahović, a star striker who’s playing injured, scored his first World Cup goal to help his side pull ahead 2-1. But Switzerland was quick to answer shortly before halftime.

It’s been a truly even matchup — the two sides have split time of possession roughly equally. Serbia has three shots on goal to Switzerland’s five.

Neither side can afford to lose this match if they want to move on to the knockout stage.

A thrilling second half is likely in store.

Brazil and Cameroon players vie for the ball.

A very uneventful first half between Brazil and Cameroon has ended. At halftime, both teams are in a scoreless tie.

Brazil might not need a goal, but Cameroon certainly does if it want to remain in contention for a berth in the Round of 16. So far, though, the Indomitable Lions have only amassed three yellow cards against Brazil’s one.

The Seleção have dominated ball possession and made 10 attempts at Cameroon’s goal but frustratingly, they have failed to capitalize on each opportunity.

Let’s hope that at least one team returns in the second half with some fireworks to display.

Switzerland's Breel Embolo scores his team's second goal.

The goals keep coming in Switzerland vs Serbia – with the Swiss getting an equalizer in the 44th minute.

This time it was forward Breel Embolo who found the back of the net.

Serbia's Dušan Vlahović scores his team's second goal against Switzerland.

Serbia has scored again, pulling ahead in a match against Switzerland that neither side can afford to lose.

It’s 2-1 in the 35th minute after the goal from Dušan Vlahović.

The striker’s score is all the more impressive as Vlahović has been nursing a groin injury.

Serbia's Aleksandar Mitrović celebrates scoring his team's first goal against Switzerland.

Serbia just tied it up with a goal of its own, making it 1-1 against Switzerland in a must-win clash between teams in Group G.

Aleksandar Mitrović scored with a brilliant header in the 26th minute, a swift answer to an opening goal from the Swiss.

Mitrović, who is a striker for Fulham in the Premier League, now has eight goals in his last seven matches for Serbia and 52 goals in just 79 international appearances.

Switzerland's Xherdan Shaqiri celebrates after scoring his team’s first goal against Serbia on during the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 Group G match between Serbia and Switzerland at Stadium 974 on December 02, 2022 in Doha, Qatar. (Photo by Justin Setterfield/Getty Images)

Switzerland struck first in its match against Serbia, making it 1-0 in the 20th minute.

Xherdan Shaqiri, a winger for the Major League Soccer club Chicago Fire, took a pass from teammate Djibril Sow and scored with a deflection.

Shaqiri also scored against Serbia in the 2018 World Cup.

Brazil is playing Cameroon at Lusail Stadium and Serbia is facing Switzerland in Stadium 974. Both matches have kicked off!

General view of the field before the match between Cameroon and Brazil on Friday.

Group G is up: Brazil faces Cameroon and Serbia plays Switzerland. Brazil is already through but the other teams are still in contention for a spot in the Round of 16. Here are the stakes for the 2 p.m. ET matches.

Serbia

Goalkeeper: Vanja Milinković-Savić

Defenders: Strahinja Pavlović, Nikola Milenković, Miloš Veljković

Midfielders: Dušan Tadić, Andrija Živković, Saša Lukić, Filip Kostić, Sergej Milinković-Savić

Forwards: Dušan Vlahović, Aleksandar Mitrović

Switzerland

Goalkeeper: Gregor Kobel

Defenders: Manuel Akanji, Silvan Widmer, Ricardo Rodriguez, Fabian Schär

Midfielders: Remo Freuler, Granit Xhaka, Djibril Sow

Forwards: Breel Embolo, Xherdan Shaqiri, Reuben Vargas

The United States men’s national soccer team has announced that Christian Pulisic is now cleared to play in Saturday’s Round of 16 match against the Netherlands.  

A CNN crew was at US training on Friday and watched Pulisic and his teammates run through warmup drills in preparation of the win-or-go-home duel with the Dutch. 

Pulisic was involved in a heavy collision with Iran goalkeeper Alireza Beiranvand as he scored the US’ winning goal on Tuesday. Pulisic revealed he had suffered a “pelvic contusion.”

Brazil plays Cameroon at 2 p.m. ET. While Brazil is through, Cameroon is still in need of a win to be in contention for the knockouts. Here are their starting lineups.

Brazil

Goalkeeper: Ederson 

Defenders: Alex Telles, Bremer, Éder Militão, Dani Alves

Midfielders: Fred, Fabinho, Gabriel Martinelli, Rodrygo, Antony

Forwards: Gabriel Jesus

Cameroon

Goalkeeper: Devis Epassy

Defenders: Collins Fai, Christopher Wooh, Enzo Ebosse, Nouhou Tolo

Midfielders: André-Frank Zambo Anguissa, Pierre Kunde, Bryan Mbeumo, Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting, Nicolas Moumi Ngamaleu

Forwards: Vincent Aboubakar

South Korea players and coaching staff celebrate after defeating Portugal.

Even though Portugal dominated ball possession over the course of Friday’s match, South Korea kept attacking the Portuguese goal anyway, desperate for a win — and they were victorious in the end.

After the equalizer in the first half, South Korea was not able to capitalize on any opportunities — including a free kick — for most of the second half. But substitute Heechan Hwang delivered an incredible second goal in the eleventh hour, putting South Korea and its hopes very much in contention for the knockouts as the match ended with the South Koreans winning 2-1 against Portugal.

With an emotional ending to the match, the suspense continued for South Korea. Everything rested on the score holding in Uruguay vs. Ghana, as that match could not have any more goals. And after eight excruciating minutes of stoppage time, it was over.

South Korea advances to the knockouts. It follows Portugal, which was already through atop Group H.

Uruguay's Luis Suarez, center, in action on Friday.

What was set up as an epic rematch between Uruguay and Ghana ended in defeat for the African side.

But there was no celebration on the field, as South Korea beat Portugal to take second place in Group H — sending both Uruguay and Ghana home.

Uruguay appeared to be on track to reach the knockout stage with a 2-0 lead over Ghana in the second half. But a late goal from South Korea sent a shock through the stands, with a ripple of disappointment as Uruguay fans saw the news from the other Group H match.

It was a fight to the finish, as Uruguay battled to find the net one more time and boost their goal differential, the key standings tiebreaker that could move them back ahead of South Korea. But it wasn’t meant to be.

Ghana never recovered after Uruguay’s Giorgian de Arrascaeta scored both of his team’s goals in the first half. It ended the match scoreless.