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Cabo Verde achieved one of the greatest milestones in its football history by drawing 0-0 against Saudi Arabia in the , played on Friday at the NRG Stadium in Houston.
The result was enough for the "Tiburones Azules," in their first-ever appearance at a World Cup, to advance to the knockout stage as runners-up in the group with three points, having achieved three draws in as many matches.
The match was tight and featured limited offensive production. The first cards came early: S. Abdulhamid (Saudi Arabia) saw yellow in the fourth minute and W. Pina (Cabo Verde) received one in the ninth, setting the physical tone of the game from the start.
Saudi Arabia was forced to make a substitution in the 33rd minute, when H. Tambakti was replaced by A. Lajami. At the start of the second half, the Saudis made another tactical change, and in the 66th minute, they made a double substitution in search of greater offensive threat, but were unsuccessful.
Cabo Verde slightly dominated possession (51% to 49%) and created more shots, 15 compared to seven, although only two were on target compared to three from Saudi Arabia. The Saudis committed 16 fouls compared to 10 by the Africans, and accumulated a total of three yellow cards: in addition to Abdulhamid's, N. Al Dawsari was cautioned in the 67th minute and F. Al Buraikan in the 90th.
The goalkeeper Vozinha (Josimar José Évora Dias, 40 years old) was once again a key figure for Cape Verde, keeping a clean sheet in a match where Saudi Arabia, despite being out of contention for qualification, sought a goal until the very end.
With the draw confirmed, the as follows: Spain topped the group with seven points after beating Uruguay 1-0 in the simultaneous match held at the Akron Stadium in Guadalajara. Cape Verde advanced as the second team with three points. Uruguay and Saudi Arabia were eliminated with two points each.
Cabo Verde's qualification was supported by the expanded format of the 2026 World Cup, which includes 48 teams and a round of 32, thereby opening the door for less established teams. The "Blue Sharks" did not win any matches in the group stage, but their defensive solidity and three consecutive draws were enough to write a historic chapter.
The next chapter of this story will arrive on July 3, 2026, when in the Round of 32 at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami.
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