DOHA, Qatar — Brazil struggled without Neymar at the World Cup on Monday. Still, the five-time champions played well enough to secure a spot in the next stage.

Brazil overcame the absence of its injured star to beat Switzerland 1-0 and make it to the round of 16 with a match to spare in Group G.

Casemiro scored in the 83rd minute to break the deadlock in a game in which Brazil had difficulties creating scoring chances without its main playmaker.

“We knew that it wasn’t going to be easy. We had to be patient,” Casemiro said. “Out first objective was to advance and we achieved that.”

Neymar stayed at the team’s hotel treating a right ankle injury sustained in the opener in Qatar. Team doctors have not yet given a timetable on his return – or said if he will return at all.

“We know that Neymar is a great player and that he makes a difference,” Brazil defender Marquinhos said. “In difficult moments he takes on the responsibility and creates the opportunities, but we showed once again that we have quality players to make up for his absence.”

The win gave Brazil six points from two matches, leaving Switzerland with three. Serbia and Cameroon, which drew 3-3 earlier Monday, have one point each.

Switzerland, which had no attempts on target, needs a win in the last match against Serbia to guarantee its spot in the next stage. A draw may be enough depending on the match between Brazil and Cameroon.

The result extended Brazil’s unbeaten run in the group stage to 17 matches, with 14 wins and three draws. It has lost only one of its last 29 group games, with the last defeat coming against Norway in 1998 in France.

Switzerland had lost only two of its last 13 group matches at the World Cup.

“I can’t really blame the team, it did a good job for quite some time,” Switzerland Coach Murat Yakin said through a translator. “I don’t think it’s a disappointment. We have a lot of good takeaways here. The next game is something we have control over.”

It was an even match early on, with both teams trying to control the game but not creating many significant chances. Without Neymar, Brazil struggled to get near Switzerland’s area until Casemiro scored with a nice one-timer into the far corner, using the outside of his right foot in a shot that deflected slightly off defender Manuel Akanji. The assists came from Vinícius Junios and Rodrygo, the Real Madrid players who until recent had Casemiro as their teammate. Casemiro now plays for Manchester United.

CAMEROON 3, SERBIA 3: Cameroon staged an impressive comeback in a draw against Serbia in Al Wakrah, Qatar, despite replacing its goalkeeper at the last minute.

Andre Onana, who plays for Italian club Inter Milan, wasn’t in Cameroon’s lineup or even at the stadium to watch the Group G match.

Coach Rigobert Song said he dropped his starting goalkeeper for “disciplinary reasons,” but didn’t give any specifics.

“In a group you need to respect the rules that apply to everybody, and I prefer to ensure that the team takes precedence over individuals,” Song said. “If you can’t fit in with what’s required to be part of a squad, then I do think that you need to step up to the plate and accept responsibility for that.”

Song replaced Onana with Devis Epassy, who made only his sixth international appearance.

“I took a risk, I realize that,” Song said. “Maybe we’re going to have to explain what happened later.”

Song said Onana hasn’t been kicked out of the squad and didn’t rule him out of Cameroon’s last group stage match against Brazil on Friday.

“For the time being I’ve asked him to wait and we’ll see if he’s going to stay with us,” Song said. “It’s up to him as well to a certain extent. He’s going to have to agree to respect the rules to perhaps come into the squad.”

Onana, who has 34 international caps made no comment on the decision except posting the starting lineup, with his notable absence, on Instagram.

Epassy said he found out Sunday night he would replace Onana, who offered him encouragement.

“We don’t have any problem together,” Epassy said. “It’s my role to be ready.”

Cameroon was down 3-1 but second-half substitute Vincent Aboubakar turned the game with a goal and an assist.

SOUTH KOREA 3, GHANA 2: Mohammed Kudus scored twice, including the go-ahead goal after South Korea evened the match in the second half, and Ghana staved off elimination with a win in Al Rayyan, Qatar.

Mohammed Salisu also scored for the Black Stars, who lost their opening match against Portugal and were in need of points for a chance to reach the knockout round in Qatar.

Cho Geu-sung scored both of South Korea’s goals about three minutes apart early in the second half to even the game at 2.

But Kudus’ low left-footed goal in the 68th minute sailed out of the reach of goalkeeper Kim Seung-gyu to give the Black Stars back the lead. Goalkeeper Lawrence Ati-Zigi preserved the victory with a leaping save off Cho’s attempt in stoppage time.

PORTUGAL 2, URUGUAY 0: Cristiano Ronaldo thought he scored but the goal was eventually credited to Bruno Fernandes in Portugal’s win over Uruguay in Lusail, Qatar, a result that secured the team a place in the last 16 of the World Cup.

Fernandes curled in a cross from the left that barely went over the head of Ronaldo and bounced into the far corner of the net in the 54th minute to give Portugal a 1-0 lead.

Ronaldo wheeled away in celebration, believing he had scored his ninth World Cup goal and second of this year’s tournament.

After repeated close-up replays, it was awarded to Fernandes, who added a second goal from the penalty spot in stoppage time after a handball by Jose Maria Gimenez.

It was a second straight victory for Portugal, which became the third team to reach the last 16 after France and Brazil.

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