Houston: World Cup debutants Cape Verde will face reigning champions Argentina in the knockout rounds after drawing 0-0 with Saudi Arabia on Friday to extend their fairytale journey. The stalemate in Houston, coupled with Spain's 1-0 victory over Uruguay, ensured that the team, ranked 67th in the world, finished as runners-up behind Spain in Group H.
According to France24.com, having drawn all three group matches, the archipelago nation of just over 500,000 will play Lionel Messi's Argentina in Miami on July 3, marking another chapter in their remarkable story. The players of Cape Verde, the third-smallest team in World Cup history by population, were in tears afterwards, as were some of their fans. The squad anxiously awaited the outcome of the Spain-Uruguay match before celebrating upon confirmation of Spain's victory.
Spain, who were held 0-0 by Cape Verde in the first round of games, topped the group with seven points, while the debutants secured three points. Both Uruguay and Saudi Arabia were eliminated, each finishing with two points. Spain will face the runner-up of Group J, which will be either Algeria or Austria.
With history beckoning, Cape Verde coach Bubista made several changes to his starting lineup, some enforced, but retained star goalkeeper Vozinha. The 40-year-old stopper was instrumental in keeping Cape Verde competitive, notably holding European champions Spain to a draw in their opening World Cup match.
Cape Verde, located off the west coast of Africa, also secured a courageous 2-2 draw with two-time former champions Uruguay. This result gave them a surprising shot at advancing to the last 32 in their final group match against Saudi Arabia, who were also in contention.
In Guadalajara, Spain and Uruguay faced off in a tightly contested match that went down to the wire. Cape Verde had slightly the better of the first half in Houston against a Saudi side that had drawn 1-1 with Uruguay before suffering a heavy 4-0 defeat to Spain. Saudi Arabia faced a setback in the 33rd minute when experienced defender Hassan al-Tambakti was stretchered off due to injury.
Spain took the lead towards the end of the first half in Mexico, news that was met with cheers from Cape Verde fans in Houston. Although Willy Semedo came close to scoring for Cape Verde, neither side posed a serious threat during a tense first half. At that point, Cape Verde was set to advance at Uruguay's expense.
In the second half, Jamiro Monteiro had a significant chance from close range, but his finish was weak. Kevin Pina also attempted a long-range effort that narrowly missed the target. As the match entered its final stages, Saudi Arabia struggled to create opportunities despite needing a win.
In the 75th minute, Saudi goalkeeper Mohammed al-Owais made a crucial save to deny Laros Duarte. Although a draw sufficed for Cape Verde, they appeared more likely to score as the match approached its conclusion.