December 2, 2022 World Cup news and highlights

By Aditi Sangal, Adrienne Vogt, Matt Meyer and Leighton Rowell, CNN

Updated 5:55 PM ET, Fri December 2, 2022
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3:18 p.m. ET, December 2, 2022

GOAL! Switzerland scores again. It's 3-2

Switzerland's Remo Freuler celebrates in front of Switzerland supporters after scoring his team's third goal.
Switzerland's Remo Freuler celebrates in front of Switzerland supporters after scoring his team's third goal. (Ebrahim Noroozi/AP)

The second half started much like the first half ended – with plenty of action.

It's 3-2 after Swiss midfielder Remo Freuler scored a brilliant goal in the 48th minute. It was a team goal, set up by a flick pass from Reuben Vargas.

The boisterous Serbian fans have fallen a bit quieter as they nervously watch their team in need of two goals to advance in the tournament.

3:07 p.m. ET, December 2, 2022

Cameroon's quest for a win against Brazil resumes in the second half

Cameroon's Collins Fai, left, controls the ball past Brazil's Gabriel Martinelli.
Cameroon's Collins Fai, left, controls the ball past Brazil's Gabriel Martinelli. (Natacha Pisarenko/AP)

While action can be expected from both sides in this match, it is absolute table stakes for Cameroon to bring more 🔥 to their game, overcome the Seleção defense, and score some goals if the team wants to stay in contention for a spot in the knockouts.

Brazil has kept the ball and made more attempts on Cameroon's goal, but have not yet scored an opener.

At the moment, things stand at 0-0 for both teams.

3:05 p.m. ET, December 2, 2022

Serbia vs Switzerland is back underway

Serbia's Dusan Tadic in action with Switzerland's Silvan Widmer on Friday.
Serbia's Dusan Tadic in action with Switzerland's Silvan Widmer on Friday. (Suhaib Salem/Reuters)

The teams are back on the pitch for the second half at Stadium 974 in Doha, Qatar.

What's in store? More goals, quite possibly, based on what we saw in the furious first 45 minutes of play.

While Switzerland can potentially advance to the knockout stage even with a draw, it is hoping for an outright win, which would guarantee a trip to the Round of 16.

Serbia is under even greater pressure. It must win for any shot at moving on.

2:55 p.m. ET, December 2, 2022

It's halftime in the action-packed match between Switzerland and Serbia

Serbia's Strahinja Pavlovic, top, and Switzerland's Xherdan Shaqiri challenge for the ball.
Serbia's Strahinja Pavlovic, top, and Switzerland's Xherdan Shaqiri challenge for the ball. (Ricardo Mazalan/AP)

An exciting first half has drawn to a close with Serbia and Switzerland deadlocked at 2-2.

Serbian Dušan Vlahović, a star striker who's playing injured, scored his first World Cup goal to help his side pull ahead 2-1. But Switzerland was quick to answer shortly before halftime.

It's been a truly even matchup — the two sides have split time of possession roughly equally. Serbia has three shots on goal to Switzerland's five.

Neither side can afford to lose this match if they want to move on to the knockout stage.

A thrilling second half is likely in store.

2:51 p.m. ET, December 2, 2022

A scoreless first half between Brazil and Cameroon comes to an end

Brazil and Cameroon players vie for the ball.
Brazil and Cameroon players vie for the ball. (Amanda Perobelli/Reuters)

A very uneventful first half between Brazil and Cameroon has ended. At halftime, both teams are in a scoreless tie.

Brazil might not need a goal, but Cameroon certainly does if it want to remain in contention for a berth in the Round of 16. So far, though, the Indomitable Lions have only amassed three yellow cards against Brazil's one.

The Seleção have dominated ball possession and made 10 attempts at Cameroon's goal but frustratingly, they have failed to capitalize on each opportunity.

Let's hope that at least one team returns in the second half with some fireworks to display.

2:47 p.m. ET, December 2, 2022

Another goal! Switzerland draws even at 2-2

Switzerland's Breel Embolo scores his team's second goal.
Switzerland's Breel Embolo scores his team's second goal. (Justin Setterfield/Getty Images)

The goals keep coming in Switzerland vs Serbia – with the Swiss getting an equalizer in the 44th minute.

This time it was forward Breel Embolo who found the back of the net.

2:41 p.m. ET, December 2, 2022

GOAL! Serbia scores again and pulls ahead of Switzerland

Serbia's Dušan Vlahović scores his team's second goal against Switzerland.
Serbia's Dušan Vlahović scores his team's second goal against Switzerland. (Suhaib Salem/Reuters)

Serbia has scored again, pulling ahead in a match against Switzerland that neither side can afford to lose.

It's 2-1 in the 35th minute after the goal from Dušan Vlahović.

The striker's score is all the more impressive as Vlahović has been nursing a groin injury.

2:34 p.m. ET, December 2, 2022

Equalizer! Serbia makes it level at 1-1

Serbia's Aleksandar Mitrović celebrates scoring his team's first goal against Switzerland.
Serbia's Aleksandar Mitrović celebrates scoring his team's first goal against Switzerland. (Suhaib Salem/Reuters)

Serbia just tied it up with a goal of its own, making it 1-1 against Switzerland in a must-win clash between teams in Group G.

Aleksandar Mitrović scored with a brilliant header in the 26th minute, a swift answer to an opening goal from the Swiss.

Mitrović, who is a striker for Fulham in the Premier League, now has eight goals in his last seven matches for Serbia and 52 goals in just 79 international appearances.

2:29 p.m. ET, December 2, 2022

The Swiss score first to make it 1-0 against Serbia

Switzerland's Xherdan Shaqiri celebrates after scoring his team’s first goal against Serbia on  during the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 Group G match between Serbia and Switzerland at Stadium 974 on December 02, 2022 in Doha, Qatar. (Photo by Justin Setterfield/Getty Images)
Switzerland's Xherdan Shaqiri celebrates after scoring his team’s first goal against Serbia on during the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 Group G match between Serbia and Switzerland at Stadium 974 on December 02, 2022 in Doha, Qatar. (Photo by Justin Setterfield/Getty Images) (Justin Setterfield/Getty Images)

Switzerland struck first in its match against Serbia, making it 1-0 in the 20th minute.

Xherdan Shaqiri, a winger for the Major League Soccer club Chicago Fire, took a pass from teammate Djibril Sow and scored with a deflection.

Shaqiri also scored against Serbia in the 2018 World Cup.