Cape Verde got their debut World Cup campaign off to a remarkable start, holding Spain to a 0-0 draw that sets the stage for an intriguing Group H. Incredibly, the team that was ranked second in the world at kick-off have now won just one of their last seven games at the finals, with their pre-tournament status among the favourites already in major doubt.
The match quickly settled into its expected pattern, as Cape Verde frustrated Spain with sheer numbers behind the ball, and the heavily fancied side struggled to create anything of note in the early exchanges.
Roberto 'Pico' Lopes, who boasts 351 appearances for Shamrock Rovers in the League of Ireland, did well to repel one of the more dangerous deliveries into the box, as the 2010 WC champions looked short on ideas.
Dailon Livramento even felt emboldened to take on an audacious effort from the halfway line as the first period wore on, although Luis de la Fuente’s side very nearly took the lead as half-time approached.
Ferran Torres somehow struck the crossbar from very close range after Marc Cucurella had nodded the ball back across goal, and then Mikel Oyarzabal was smartly denied on the follow-up by 40-year-old Vozinha, preserving the underdogs’ well-deserved parity at the break.
The second half began in much the same pattern, and all in attendance could sense the rising Spanish nerves, although a hopelessly miscued cross from Torres had a scrambling Vozinha fearing the most fortunate of breakthroughs.
For long spells, a stroke of luck looked like the only way the deadlock could possibly be broken, with the Tubaroes Azuis standing resolute in their defensive shape and rarely looking unduly troubled.
A desperate De la Fuente turned to Lamine Yamal, who was a fitness doubt heading into this contest, and he instantly injected some quality and urgency into proceedings.
Within moments, his work down the right presented fellow substitute Mikel Merino with a good opening, but Vozinha was behind it once again; at this point, the goalkeeper was well on his way to his 8.8 Flashscore Rating, earned with seven saves across the night.
Oyarzabal had the pick of the chances in the closing stages, but his effort was blocked heroically by Lopes, setting the island nation on their way to an exceptional point.
As the game moved into stoppage time, that almost turned into a scarcely-believable three, but Diney Borges’ powerful header from a corner was kept out by Unai Simon to prevent a total Spanish humiliation.
Next up in Group H is Uruguay vs Saudi Arabia, where both sides will now feel as though things have been blown wide open after Spain’s major stutter.
The one certainty is that nobody will be writing off Cape Verde any more, with their historic draw adding to an impressive record of six wins and a draw in their final seven qualifiers.
