World Cup 2014 Schedule, How to Watch, Preview: Neymar, Brazil Aiming for a Big Win vs Cameroon,
Host nation Brazil will look to bounce back from a subpar performance when they face Cameroon on Monday at the Nacional in Brazil in more 2014 FIFA World Cup action.
To earn a spot in the knockout stages of the World Cup, Brazil needs at least a draw against the already-eliminated Cameroon squad to earn a spot in the knockout stages, but coach Luiz Felipe Scolari wants a big win to send a message to their opponents.
The host were considered as heavy favorites to win the 2014 World Cup, but most analysts believe that Brazil failed to live up to their lofty status in their first two matches -- a 3-1 win over Croatia and a draw against Mexico.
Scolari said that the team will rely on Neymar, who scored two goals in their win against Croatia but was not on target against Mexico. Scolari insisted that the whole team needs to do a better job in creating scoring opportunities for their star striker.
"Neymar cannot win or lose on his own, he is part of the group," Scolari said via EuroSport. "His potential is better than the others' at times, and they are aware of that. But he will win or lose with the group. We will keep working with Neymar, working to win, and making sure we make all efforts to do better as a team around him."
Cameroon, on the other hand, will play for pride and try to erase the bitter memory of their 4-0 loss to Croatia in a match wherein Alex Song was sent off and teammates Benoit Assou-Ekotto and Benjamin Moukandjo had a physical altercation before the end of the match.
Samuel Eto'o, Cameroon's team captain, might miss the match as head coach Volker Finke said that the team captain has yet to recover from a knee injury, which forced him to miss their match against Croatia. However, Finke added that the team will play hard, especially now that they are playing without any pressure.
"It is obvious that this will be a difficult match for Brazil because they need the result and they are under pressure. We have no pressure. We have prepared for the match as if we could qualify," Finke said via Yahoo Sports.
The Brazil-Cameroon match is set to kick off at 4 a.m. EST. Fans can watch the game on ESPN and through this link.
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