Cape Verde have made history as the smallest nation ever to reach the knockout round of the World Cup, securing their place with a goalless draw against Saudi Arabia on Friday. The tiny island nation off the west coast of Africa, making their tournament debut, advanced with a third consecutive draw, having previously held 2010 champions Spain 0-0 and fought back to draw 2-2 with Uruguay.
Historic Achievement for Cape Verde
The result lifted Cape Verde to second place in Group H, behind Spain who beat Uruguay 1-0 to top the group. The Blue Sharks will now face reigning champions Argentina in Miami on July 3. On the eve of the match, coach Bubista said, “everyone is entitled to dream and nothing is impossible.” The team proved him right, overcoming long odds as a country of just over 500,000 people to reach the round of 32.
A fan with her face painted in the flag of the archipelago held a sign reading: “Small Islands, Big Dreams.” A dream that these underdogs have turned into reality as they continue their charmed run on the world stage.
Vozinha Shines in Goal
Cape Verde’s success was underpinned by another strong performance from goalkeeper Vozinha, the 40-year-old whose tournament heroics have earned him over 16 million Instagram followers. He made a crucial save in first-half stoppage time, grabbing a header from Mohamed Kanno to keep Saudi Arabia scoreless. In the 66th minute, he leaped to deflect a shot from Mohammed Abu Al-Shamat, and in the 92nd minute, he stopped a shot from Abdullah Al-Hamdan.
A group of shirtless fans in the crowd each painted one letter of his name on their chests as they cheered. Vozinha also had a special supporter in the crowd of 68,278: his mother Ana Candida Evora, who watched from a luxury suite waving a tiny Cape Verde flag. It was her second match of the tournament after missing Vozinha’s seven-save performance against Spain due to visa issues.
Missed Chances but Joyous Outcome
Cape Verde had opportunities to score. In the 50th minute, Kevin Pina’s shot from distance soared over the crossbar. In the 74th minute, Laros Duarte’s shot from the middle of the box was stopped by goalkeeper Mohammed Al-Owais. In the final seconds, Nuno da Costa sent a shot from the middle of the box wide left. But it didn’t matter, as minutes after the final whistle, Spain’s victory over Uruguay confirmed Cape Verde’s progression, sparking joyous celebrations among players and fans.
Spain Eliminate Uruguay
Spain defeated Uruguay 1-0 to advance to the knockout stage and eliminate the two-time world champions. Uruguay, winners in 1930 and 1950, went home without a victory in Group H. Spain won the group with seven points and will face the second-placed team from Group J on Thursday in Inglewood, California. Alex Baena scored in the 42nd minute after Uruguay goalkeeper Fernando Muslera failed to fully parry his shot from inside the area. It was the third error of the tournament by the 40-year-old Muslera, who was substituted at halftime by coach Marcelo Bielsa.
At 19th in the FIFA rankings, Uruguay are the highest-ranked team eliminated so far. Cape Verde finished second with three points, one more than both Uruguay and Saudi Arabia. Uruguay finished third but did not have enough points to be among the best eight third-placed teams advancing. The match featured few significant scoring chances. Uruguay players appealed for a penalty in the final minutes after Federico Vinas went down inside the area. Tension rose near the end, with Uruguay’s Agustin Canobbio sent off in added time for a tackle on Spain defender Paul Cubarsi.
Uruguay came into the match in turmoil after draws against Saudi Arabia and Cape Verde, with reports of player discontent with coach Bielsa. Spain, seeking their second World Cup title, opened with a shock 0-0 draw against Cape Verde but rebounded with a 4-0 win over Saudi Arabia. La Roja have not advanced past the round of 16 since winning their lone title in 2010. Spain striker Lamine Yamal, nursing a left hamstring injury, had a lackluster outing and was replaced by Ferran Torres in the 76th minute. King Felipe VI of Spain was among the crowd of 45,065 at Estadio Akron. A moment of silence was observed before the match for victims of earthquakes in Venezuela.
