The Indomitable Lions at the foot of the wall.
Defeated by Switzerland (1-0) for their entry into the running, the Cameroonians have no room for error against Serbia on Monday.
Serbs also beaten on the first day, by Brazil (2-0).
Woe to the vanquished… To stay alive, President Eto'o's players can count on a certain Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting.
At 33, the former PSG player is living his best life.
Scorer in preparation against Panama (1-0), just before the World Cup, the Bayern striker walks on water.
"
We have a player at the top of his game.
This is reflected in his performance on the pitch with Bayern.
He is titular and he replaces Robert Lewandowski.
He is a player who succeeds in everything.
And when you have a player in this form, you have to put him on the pitch.
Too bad for Vincent Aboubacar, whom I like, he's a good player, but he's paying for Choupo's good form
", decrypts the former Cameroonian international Benjamin Moukandjo (57 caps, 8 goals), consultant for
beIN Sports
.
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It is indeed Choupo-Moting who started at the forefront and carried the armband against the Swiss, in vain, he who remains on nine goals in his last 11 matches under the Bavarian colors.
Arrived on tiptoe at Bayern in 2020, the native of Hamburg amazes, impresses, he who knew how to make a place for himself in the sun due to absences and the fact that Julian Nagelsmann does not have a real striker under the hand since the departure of Lewandowski at Barça.
On the left, behind the attacker or in the lead?
Although, this is not necessarily the register in which we expect the person concerned.
At PSG, Thomas Tuchel (who had already known him in Mainz) has often said that he prefers him on the left.
"
His best job?
I asked myself the question.
He has the physique of a centre-forward (1.91m), but he likes to participate in the game. He is not a Lewandowski-style centre-forward, who will wait for the ball and hang around in the box.
When I played with him in selection, he evolved more in nine and a half.
Often on the left too.
Today, I discovered that he is able to play nine!
It delights me.
At Bayern, he does not have the same number as in the selection.
The hardest part is being able to be served.
That's what I expect from other players, attackers or midfielders: serve Choupo and the attackers, go into the opposing camp, bring this excess.
If you are an attacker and you are not served, we do not see you
“says Moukandjo.
Against Switzerland, until his replacement in the 74th minute, Choupo-Moting shot twice on goal (1 shot on target) and touched 28 balls.
A change that had surprised many people.
Read alsoSwitzerland-Cameroon: “Everything is possible”, assures Rigobert Song after the defeat of the Indomitable Lions
To see if he will have more cartridges against Serbia.
One thing is certain: his status has changed a lot since his two seasons at PSG (2018-20).
Two years that have earned him a special status in the hearts of Parisian supporters, between affection… and mockery.
A real mascot for the fans of the red and blue club, who first affectionately laughed at his failures.
And as a highlight, this incredible blunder against Strasbourg (2-2), in April 2019, when he prevented Christopher Nkunku's ball from crossing the line.
The incredible blunder against Strasbourg
"
Even I don't quite understand... I'm sorry because the ball was going in, I think, and it's a shame because it was a goal (for) Nkunku
", he lamented at the stadium. time, he who had had the courage to come and explain himself to the media after this incredible blunder.
“
He started well, he scored a good goal and then he stopped the ball on the line, it was 2-1 for us.
He did that, I don't know why (laughs)… It's Murphy's law
, ”smiled Tuchel.
Understand that
“everything that can go wrong will go wrong
”.
We remember that this action marked a turning point in the treatment of Choupo by PSG fans.
The amused affection of the Park has mostly given way to mockery.
In the locker room, never.
Choupo has always been praised for his behavior, his recruitment to PSG surprised everyone.
“
I completely understand that the coach wanted to bring him in,
corrected Thomas Meunier at the time.
Especially since Stoke was going to the Championship
(English L2, editor's note),
it was a very good opportunity to take it.
Not just because he's German, but simply because he's an excellent player, with an always positive mentality, always with a smile.
He is also aware of his place in the group.
And has no pretension.
He's the kind of guy who, in the end and in the long run, can win the club.
" And the Belgian, today in Dortmund, to add: "
He is a player who, despite his large size, is quite technical, who can keep the ball, combine, win, play in depth, analyzes Meunier.
It is important on the stopped phases.
He is a super complete player.
»
I thought it was too violent for him, too hard.
He never said anything.
He shut his mouth, he didn't actually open it.
Benjamin Moukandjo on the mockery suffered by Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting
"
He's the perfect teammate
, swears Moukandjo
.
He will never complain if he does not play.
He does not look higher than his nose.
He was mocked at PSG with this ball which was supposed to go in and which comes out, unfortunately… It can happen to anyone.
I thought it was too violent for him, too hard.
He never said anything.
He shut his mouth, he didn't actually open it.
He continued to work.
When he left for Bayern, everyone laughed at him, everyone thought that if he didn't play at PSG, he wouldn't play at Bayern anymore.
He arrived, he settled in very slowly, he accepted the role he was given as a replacement for Robert Lewandowski, scratching five or ten minutes here and there.
Today, he replaces Lewandowski.
It proves that he is a player to be reckoned with.
I
love these players who have this mind, this strength of character, in order to overcome the difficult stages.
He shut mouths!
»
Read alsoAgainst Cameroon, the Swiss coach believes that his team played “with a lot of maturity”
He had already started doing it in Paris in fact.
On the penultimate pass on Marquinhos' equalizing goal, it was he who scored the 2-1 in August 2020, against Atalanta, in the quarter-finals of the Champions League.
The goal of qualification, while Bergamo has long been in the lead.
We will also remember that Choupo had, involuntarily, injured Marco Verratti just before this Final 8...
Already the end of the dream?
To see if Nagelsmann will continue to trust him as a holder at the end of the World Cup, and in particular for the double confrontation against … PSG, in the knockout stages of the Champions League, on February 14 and March 8 next.
“
Surprised by his form at the moment?
Yes.
But I knew he had quality.
We don't play at PSG or Bayern if we don't have quality.
It makes me happy in any case, he is a teammate with whom I participated in many matches.
He is in good shape, so much the better for Cameroon
,” rejoices Moukandjo.
Charge to Choupo-Moting to transcribe his Munich success in Qatar with Lions that Samuel Eto'o imagines on the roof of the world on December 18th.
“
To each his own opinion and his way of dreaming
”,
.
One thing is certain: the Qatari dream of the Lions would come to an end in the event of another setback on Monday.
