Full preview and live streaming of Friday’s World Cup Group A match-up between Mexico and Cameroon.
Where: Arena das Dunas, Natal
When: 5pm BST
Watch live: Click here to watch online with ITV Football!
It’s a vital face off in Group A as Mexico face Cameroon with both sides knowing that a positive result will be vital for their chances of progressing to the tournament’s second round.
Both sides will be looking to capitalise on playing the day after the tournament opener between Brazil and Croatia, with a victory for either side putting them in pole position for qualification to the knockout rounds.
Mexico are favourites to edge out the African side, but Miguel Herrera’s men will have to put a disappointing qualifying campaign in which they finished behind Costa Rica and Honduras behind them.
Herrera tends to favour a 5-3-2 formation that will see experienced former Barcelona man Rafael Marquez flanked by Diego Reyes and Hector Moreno in defence.
Reyes’ FC Porto teammate Hector Herrera will be key for linking the midfield to the attack, which is likely to see Manchester United star Javier Hernandez operating just off Santos Laguna’s experienced frontman Oribe Peralta.
Cameroon, meanwhile, are expected to line up in a 4-3-3 system that will see an exciting strike force of veteran striker Samuel Eto’o supported by the youthful Ligue 1 duo of Vincent Aboubakar and Benjamin Moukandjo. Highly rated Mainz striker Eric-Maxim Choupo-Moting could start, but is more likely to offer a dangerous proposition from the bench.
Three hard-working, defensively minded midfielders will add some grit to the Cameroonian side as Jean Makoun is likely to play just ahead of Alex Song and Enoh Eyong, whilst Marseille’s Nicolas N’Koulou is the key to holding together a weak looking defence.
Despite both sides’ tendencies to score plenty of goals and conceded a few at the other end, the game is likely to be a tentative affair as both nations will be concerned with not letting their World Cup campaign fizzle out before it has even begun.