FIFA Confederations Cup: Indomitable Lions Caged

Cameroon’s Indomitable Lions were unable to reproduce the same form that saw them getting to the final match of the 2003 FIFA Confederations Cup as they fell 1-3 to Germany at the 2017 edition to crash out at the group stage.

The result meant that the African champions only managed a point out of obtainable nine.

The match marked Joachim Low’s 150^th game in charge of Germany and also his 100^th victory. Germany therefore topped Group B and will remain in Sochi for semi final clash with Mexico on June 29.

After a goalless first half, highlighted by a superb save from Marc-Andre Ter Stegen, Germany eventually found the breakthrough thanks to Kerem Demirbay, who scored his first goal for Germany with a thunderbolt finish 25 yards from goal after captain Julian Draxler played him through with a neat flick.

Cameroon were reduced to ten men in the 64th minute when, after a video assistant referee review, Ernest Mabouka was sent off for a late challenge on Emre Can.

Werner then gave Germany a two-goal cushion with a diving header, his first goal at senior international level, from Joshua Kimmich’s cross on the right wing.

Vincent Aboubakar found the net with a glancing header with ten minutes remaining, but Werner restored Germany’s two-goal lead, ensuring their first-place position in the group and becoming the first German to score two goals in a single Confederations Cup match with his close-range, accurate finish.