Cameroon vs Brazil LIVE: World Cup 2022 team news and line-ups from Group G as Tite makes nine changes

Brazil boss Tite and injured superstar Neymar hailed Casemiro as the “best midfielder in the world” after seeing him fire his country through to the World Cup knockout stage.

The Manchester United man’s 83rd-minute strike secured a 1-0 Group G win over Switzerland on Monday, which means they are through with a game to spare, prompting Neymar to tweet after the game: “Casemiro has been the best midfielder in the world for a long time.”

Asked at his post-match press conference if he agreed, Tite said: “As a habit, I always respect opinions and I usually don’t comment on opinions, but I will allow myself to do so today. I agree.”

What happens when a superstar forward, with the weight of a nation on his shoulders for the third World Cup running, sustains an injury in match No 1? After the period of mourning, there is discussion. 40 minutes of it.

Brazil’s pre-match press conference on Sunday – involving manager Tite, defender Marquinhos and Tite’s assistant Cesar Sampaio – was mostly devoted to the world’s most expensive player and the effect of his absence for the rest of the group-phase. “Football’s about context and sometimes we have to be strategic,” said Tite. “We have to think outside the box but we’re very confident we have the right replacement.”

So, who would it be? An abundance of terrific depth in attack, deeper than any other team in the tournament, should cover for the loss of the prodigal son. So, would it be one of Arsenal’s dynamic duo: Gabriel Jesus or Gabriel Martinelli? Maybe Manchester United’s £85m signing Antony? Or Real Madrid young gun Rodrygo? Or how about… Fred?

Cameroon XI: Epassy, Fai, Ebosse, Wooh, Tolo, Zambo, Kunde, Ngamaleu, Mbeumo, Aboubakar, Choupo-Moting.

Brazil XI: Ederson, Dani Alves, Eder Militao, Bremer, Alex Telles, Fabinho, Fred, Antony, Rodrygo, Martinelli, Gabriel Jesus.

The devilish grin painted across his face in the first half soon turned to sheer panic and then despair as Luis Suarez processed Uruguay’s fate. Out of the World Cup on goals scored, to the delight of South Korea, Suarez was agonisingly close to one last inspiring performance.

The divisive forward had earlier cackled in delight after inspiring a two-goal lead, thrilled to play the role of the “devil” at the expense of Ghana once more. But that joy would turn sour after Hwang Hee-Chan’s late, late winner for South Korea, who usurped La Celeste to finish second behind Portugal in Group H.

For so long Uruguay’s saviour, Suarez had delivered when most had dismissed him as merely an enigmatic presence in a camp between generations, having hopelessly toiled away against South Korea and Portugal.

Cameroon vs Brazil is scheduled for a 7pm GMT kick-off on Friday 2 December at Lusail Stadium in Qatar. The match will be televised live in the UK on ITV1 and coverage begins at 6.15pm GMT.

A live stream can be found on ITVX or the ITV website, alternatively check by with Independent Sport here to find live minute-by-minute updates.

“We can’t stop talking about Neymar,” Casemiro had said in the build-up to this latest stop on Brazil’s quest to win a sixth World Cup. After his winning goal here against Switzerland, they’ll only be talking about him.

With the side’s talismanic No 10 injured and watching wave after wave of pressure go unrewarded from afar, it was left to the defensive midfielder with just five international goals to his name to do his best impression of the absent hero with 75.

The strike was a sweet one, struck hard and to Yann Sommer’s left, the Swiss keeper left with no chance as it arrowed into the corner. The relief in the stadium – and no doubt the team hotel where the laid-up Neymar was watching on – was palpable.

Just as the PA system announced six minutes of stoppage time at the Education City Stadium, Son Heung-Min’s wait was finally over. For the previous ninety, he had barely had a chance to do what he does best and run at a broken and splintered defence. Now, with half of it caught upfield for a set-piece, finally, here was his chance.

Son burst away, darting towards Portugal goalkeeper Diogo Costa, yet even his furious pace was not at full pelt after a gruelling final game in Group F that had appeared headed for a draw. White shirts began to crowd him. He had run into traffic. But thankfully, he had Hwang Hee-Chan in support.

The Wolverhampton Wanderers forward’s late finish and Uruguay’s mere two-goal victory over Ghana – eventually confirmed five minutes or so after the sound of the final whistle, to a joyous Korean huddle in the centre circle of the pitch – was enough for Asia’s most successful footballing nation and its biggest star to reach the last-16.

Andre Onana has been suspended by his country after falling out with coach Rigobert Song, with Devis Epassy deputising. Song has an injury doubt over Olivier Ntcham, with Vincent Aboubakar pushing for a start after shining off the bench against Serbia.

The Selecao are without Neymar, Danilo and Alex Sandro through injury. Eder Militao and Alex Telles are the likely replacements at full-back, while Rodrygo could be chosen in a more attack-minded line-up after Fred replaced Neymar in the Switzerland match.

Antony, Gabriel Jesus and Gabriel Martinelli are other options to join Raphinha and Vini Jr, with Lucas Paqueta in line to start again.

While extension rotation might hit the attack mostly, with that aforementioned trio an option with Bruno Guimaraes joining Paqueta and Casemiro in midfield.

Cameroon XI: Epassy; Fai, Castelletto, Nkoulou, Tolo; Hongla, Anguissa, Kunde; Aboubakar, Choupo-Moting, Toko Ekambi

Brazil XI: Alisson; Militao, Marquinhos, Silva, Telles; Casemiro, Paqueta; Raphinha, Paqueta, Rodrygo; Vinicius Jr

More reaction from South Korea’s stunning victory still to come as we also look ahead to this evening’s matches. Cameroon are taking on Brazil and Switzerland face Serbia in the final two games of the group stages.

Who will join Brazil in the last-16?

The 2022 World Cup is in full swing as 32 nations began on 20 November aiming to lift the Jules Rimet trophy in Doha on 18 December.

Despite the many off-field issues around the tournament in Qatar, the group stage has thrown up plenty of thrills and spills, with Argentina losing to Saudi Arabia going down as one of the greatest shocks of any World Cup in history. Japan also stunned Germany, while Spain and England racked up goals in statement opening wins.

The top two teams from each group go through to the round of 16, with group winners taking on the runners-up from a different group, while the third- and fourth-placed nations in each group are eliminated from the competition.

Here are the teams qualified for the last 16 so far: