The most shocking result of the FIFA World Cup so far arrived when Africa's Cape Verde held the formidable Spain to a goalless draw. It was Cape Verde's very first World Cup appearance, and in that opening fixture they stunned the entire football world by securing a 0-0 result against the European champions.
Spanish Dominance, but No Goals
For most of the contest the ball stayed at Spain's feet. The European champions attempted to score 27 times and kept possession for roughly 75% of the match. Even so, they could not find the net once. Standing in their way was a wall built by 40-year-old goalkeeper Vozinha, whom the Spanish attackers could not get past right up to the final whistle.
An Impenetrable Wall in Blue
Cape Verde set up with five defenders from the very start, with almost the entire team camped inside their own box. Spain moved the ball from side to side but never found a way to breach the tight cordon. Such was their discipline that the African side committed just one foul in the whole match.
A decision by Spain coach Luis de la Fuente also cost his team. He left Lamine Yamal and Nico Williams on the bench rather than in the starting eleven, which blunted Spain's attacking edge. Ferran Torres and Gavi were never able to play freely.
Vozinha's Memorable Saves
In front of goal, Vozinha pulled off one outstanding save after another. In the 36th minute he denied Pedri's effort. Soon after, Ferran's shot struck the crossbar, and on the rebound Vozinha stopped Oyarzabal's header with just one hand. Ferran wasted another chance in the 45th minute. Even after half-time, Spain's finishing remained poor.
In a bid to change the game, Yamal and Mikel Merino were introduced in the 70th minute, which injected some life into Spain's play. In the 88th minute Yamal slipped a fine pass to Oyarzabal, but his shot too was blocked. In the end the match finished level, and an emotional Vozinha was named Man of the Match.
What Captain Rodri Said
Reflecting on the result, Spain captain Rodri said, ‘Today it just wasn't meant to be, there is nothing to criticise. We knew we had to be patient, we created chances but couldn't score. It is hard to play against such a strong defensive team. The positive is that they didn't create many chances against us, but we have to improve our finishing.’
Fresh Hope for Cape Verde
Picking up a point in their first ever World Cup match was nothing short of a dream for Cape Verde. The team's midfielder Laros Duarte said, ‘Today our focus was on defence, but in the coming matches we can show that we are also good with the ball. It is a great feeling to move forward, and now it is fair to start thinking about qualifying for the next round.’
The other two teams in Group H, Saudi Arabia and Uruguay, will face each other in Miami on Monday.
