Cape Verde, a small island nation off the western coast of Africa, has defied odds to become the smallest country to earn a spot in the World Cup knockout round. The team, led by 40-year-old goalkeeper Vozinha, completed an improbable run through the group stage with a third straight World Cup draw, a 0-0 draw against Saudi Arabia.
Historic Achievement
Cape Verde had a chance to score in the 50th minute, but Kevin Pina’s shot from distance was just above the crossbar. Another chance came in the 74th minute when Laros Duarte’s shot from the middle of the box was stopped by goalkeeper Mohammed Al-Owais. Despite not scoring, Cape Verde’s three points put the team in second place behind Spain, which beat Uruguay on Friday night and won the group.
Cape Verde will play reigning World Cup champion Argentina in Miami on July 3. The team’s success has been an inspiration to many, with Vozinha’s mother, Ana Candida Evora, watching from a luxury suite and waving a tiny Cape Verde flag. Vozinha had a save in first half stoppage time, grabbing a header from Mohamed Kanno to keep Saudi Arabia scoreless.
Original reporting: NBC Connecticut (Hartford) — read the source article.
