Cape Verde’s first World Cup appearance is already guaranteed a place in football history, and now the Blue Sharks are close to taking it even further.
They had already produced one of the biggest surprises of the tournament by drawing with Spain, a team ranked 65 places above them by Fifa, in their opening World Cup match. On Sunday, Cape Verde proved that result was not a one off by earning a dramatic 2-2 draw against two time world champions Uruguay.
The performance was full of belief, energy and attacking ambition. Cape Verde played with confidence, created danger and showed the same defensive spirit that helped them frustrate Spain.
The island nation, made up of 10 islands in the Atlantic Ocean and home to just under 525,000 people according to World Bank figures, has now competed on even terms with two major World Cup names.
This time, goalkeeper Vozinha did not need to produce the kind of heroic display that made him famous against Spain. His Instagram following had jumped from around 40,000 before that match to more than 15 million, but against Uruguay the team protected him well and allowed only two shots on target.
Former Wales defender Ashley Williams joked on BBC One that the Cape Verde players would probably be checking their phones to see how many new followers they had gained.
Vozinha’s mother, who could not attend the Spain match because of the cost of getting a visa to enter the United States, was in Miami this time and watched another emotional night for her son’s team.
Cape Verde Take the Game to Uruguay
From the first whistle, Cape Verde showed they had not come just to defend. They pushed the ball forward whenever possible and kept Uruguay under pressure with a brave attacking approach.
The South American side struggled to deal with Cape Verde’s pace and directness, and the first major moment of the match soon arrived.
Kevin Pina stood over a free kick from around 30 yards. As Uruguay’s wall jumped, it opened up, and Pina’s powerful strike flew through the gap before beating Fernando Muslera.
In Praia, the capital of Cape Verde, that first goal was met with huge celebration.
Before the match, many expected Uruguay to win. Williams and Benni McCarthy both predicted a defeat for Cape Verde on BBC One. Instead, the Blue Sharks refused to accept the role of underdogs who simply survive.
Their second goal came after a Uruguay mistake, but Helio Varela still handled the moment superbly. He took the ball past the stranded Muslera with a clever touch and calmly finished into the net.
A Brave Display Wins More Respect
After getting back level, Cape Verde showed the defensive discipline that had already served them so well against Spain. They stood firm, closed spaces and kept Uruguay from building clear chances.
Still, they did not abandon their attacking plan. Even in the final stages, Cape Verde kept searching for a winner rather than settling fully for a point.
The performance changed minds. McCarthy said he had a new level of respect for Cape Verde, while Williams called it the most entertaining World Cup match he had covered so far.
McCarthy praised the team’s courage and said they were excellent to watch. He added that Cape Verde still need sharper decision making in the final third, but felt they had won the admiration of many fans with the way they played.
One Cape Verde supporter at a fan park in the United States told BBC Sport that everyone had doubted them and thought they would not get this far. Now, he said, they are here.
That feeling sums up the mood around the team. Cape Verde are quickly becoming one of the most memorable stories of this World Cup.
Knockout Place Now Within Reach
The draw with Uruguay leaves Cape Verde third in Group H, level with Uruguay on two points.
Because of the expanded World Cup format, Cape Verde still have a realistic route to the knockout stage in their debut campaign. Their final group match is against Saudi Arabia on Saturday at 01:00 BST.
Saudi Arabia drew 1-1 with Uruguay before losing 4-0 to Spain. McCarthy said on BBC One that Cape Verde’s performance against Uruguay should give them enough momentum to beat Saudi Arabia.
The top two teams in every group qualify automatically, while eight of the 12 best third placed sides also reach the last 32. A win over Saudi Arabia would be enough to send Cape Verde through.
If they do qualify, they would join a very short list. Nigeria in 1998 and Russia in 2018 are the only teams ranked lower than Cape Verde’s current position of 63rd to have reached the World Cup knockout rounds.
Williams said Cape Verde should enter the Saudi Arabia match full of confidence and with real belief that qualification is possible.
Cape Verde Enjoy Their Moment on the Big Stage
Speaking on BBC Radio 5 Live, former England forward Sue Smith described Cape Verde’s display as outstanding once again.
The statistics backed up the impression. Cape Verde had 12 shots and four on target, which was two more on target than Uruguay managed. Most of their attacking threat came after half time, with 10 of their attempts arriving in the second half as they fought back and then pushed for victory.
Smith said the story of this team keeps going.
Williams also felt Cape Verde deserved their point, noting that they were still trying to win the match even near the end against Uruguay.
The result makes Cape Verde the first World Cup debutants to avoid defeat in their first two matches since Senegal in 2002.
Former Scotland forward James McFadden said the most striking thing was how much Cape Verde were enjoying themselves.
For a debutant nation that many wrote off before the tournament, Cape Verde are not only competing. They are playing with freedom, courage and the belief that this World Cup run can still become even bigger.
