Cape Verde’s dream FIFA World Cup debut continued on Friday as the tournament newcomers reached the Round of 32 after a 0-0 draw with Saudi Arabia. The historic result has set up a blockbuster knockout clash with defending champions Argentina in Miami.
Spain finished top of Group H with seven points after beating Uruguay 1-0, while Cape Verde claimed second place with three draws. The tiny African nation became the smallest country ever to qualify for the World Cup knockout stage. Uruguay and Saudi Arabia were both eliminated with two points.
“It feels like I’m living a dream,” man-of-the-match Deroy Duarte said. “Ever since I was a kid, I’ve dreamed of playing in a World Cup.
“From tomorrow we’ll start thinking about Argentina. It will be a very difficult game, but we have to believe. Anything is possible.”
Cape Verde have already made history in their first-ever World Cup. They earned a hard-fought draw against Spain before fighting back for an impressive 2-2 draw with Uruguay, showing remarkable determination throughout the group stage.
After the final whistle, Cape Verde’s players and staff gathered around their phones to follow the result of the Spain-Uruguay match. As soon as they learned they had qualified, they celebrated wildly with their fans, who had backed the team throughout the night with drums and songs.
Many players stayed on the pitch long after the match ended, taking photos, embracing one another and wrapping themselves in national flags as they soaked in the biggest moment in the country’s football history. Cape Verde has a population of just around 500,000 people.
The match itself lacked quality, although Cape Verde looked the more dangerous side throughout. They created several clear chances but failed to convert them, with Laros Duarte missing the best opportunity when he was through one-on-one with goalkeeper Mohammed Alowais.
Both teams started brightly, knowing a place in the knockout stage was still possible, but the first half was disrupted by misplaced passes and mistimed tackles.
Saudi Arabia managed their first shot on target only in first-half stoppage time when Mohamed Kanno’s header was comfortably saved by 40-year-old goalkeeper Vozinha. His mother, who had arrived late in the United States because of visa delays, watched proudly from the stands.
Cape Verde continued to dominate after the break and finished with 15 shots, but poor finishing prevented them from finding a winning goal. Saudi Arabia struggled to create meaningful attacks throughout the second half.
Saudi Arabia coach Georgios Donis admitted his side failed to control the game or create enough chances.
“We struggled to create opportunities,” he said. “When you can’t control the tempo of the game and don’t threaten in attack, it’s very difficult to win.”
Saudi Arabia bowed out of the tournament after scoring just one goal in three matches. They rarely looked capable of adding to that tally as their World Cup campaign ended with a disappointing performance in Houston.
