FIFA Confederations Cup – Group B Quick Thoughts
Dan Tracey
June 26, 2017
1,628 Views
- We now know the make up of the FIFA Confederation Cup Semi Finals
- Portugal will be paired against Chile in what is arguably the pick of the bunch
- While an experimental Germany side go up against Group A runners-up Mexico
- For Chile it was something of a nervy afternoon yesterday as they went up against Ange Postecoglou’s Australia
- They only needed a point to qualify and eventually that is what they would get but they had to come from behind in which to do so
- Had Australia won they it meant it we would have had to get the calculators out, a 2-0 victory would have been sufficient as long as Cameroon did not beat Germany in the other fixture
- Australia drew first blood when James Troisi broke the deadlock with three minutes to go before the break
- At that point Australia just needed another goal to book their place in the Semi Finals
- Tim Cahill who usually has a cameo role these days was used from the off but even a solid captain’s performance could not inspire the Socceroos
- Their high intensity were certainly working but they could not get that all important second which would have knocked Chile out of the competition
- Alexis Sanchez was reduced to speculative efforts throughout the game and he would have been delighted when his teammate Martin Rodriguez leveled halfway exactly the first half to all but end Australia’s hopes
- That point was enough for Chile to progress and they would be joined by Germany who eventually topped the group
- Cameroon were in the same situation where a win would leave them level on points with their opponents but unlike Australia they were never really in the game
- Although the first half was without a goal once Joachim Low’s side opened the deadlock three minutes after thr restart they never looked back
- Kerem Demirbay had the German’s in front and quarter of an hour later they would also have a numerical advantage on the pitch
- That was because Cameroon were reduced to 10 men albeit in farcical circumstances
- The Indomitable Lions also had Ernest Mabouka sent off after confusion involving the Video Assistant Referee.
- Sebastien Siani was initially dismissed in a case of mistaken identity before the error was corrected.
- Colombian referee Wilmar Roldan consulted the VAR after a high challenge by Mabouka on Germany’s Emre Can led to Cameroon captain Siani wrongfully receiving a yellow card.
- However, the initial outcome was to switch the colour of Siani’s card to red.
- It was only after Cameroon’s players insisted he review the incident again that he realised his error, rescinded Siani’s dismissal and sending off the correct culprit Mabouka.
- Add to insult to injury Germany doubled their advantage just a couple of minutes later
- Timo Werner scored his first of two goals to all but secure Germany’s passage to the Semi Finals and knock out Cameroon
- There would be something of a small comeback when Cameroon halved the deficit when Vincent Aboubakar halved the deficit with 12 minutes remaining
- They may have got a small foothold in the game but any hopes were dashed soon after when Werner bagged a second to wrap up proceedings
- The group stages have now come to a close, Germany will be favourites to surpass Mexico while in regards to Chile vs Portugal it is very much up for grabs
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