World Cup: Cape Verde to face Argentina in knockouts after Saudi draw

In a stunning turn of events at the World Cup, debutants Cape Verde have etched their name in history by reaching the knockout rounds for the first time, securing their place with a hard-fought 0-0 draw against Saudi Arabia.

The stalemate in Houston, combined with Spain's narrow 1-0 victory over Uruguay, propelled the small island nation, with a population of just over 500,000, to second place in Group H. Their reward is a dream tie against the reigning world champions, Argentina, on July 3 in Miami.

Scenes of jubilation erupted among the Cape Verde players and their fans as the final whistle blew and news of Spain's win filtered through. Midfielder Deroy Duarte expressed his disbelief, stating, "I’m living in a dream to be honest." The joy was mirrored in the nation's capital, Praia, where residents had stayed up late to watch the pivotal match.

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I’m living in a dream to be honest

Coach Bubista, who attended the press conference wrapped in his country's flag, conveyed the team's determination. "We had this in our minds and heads that we could get to this stage," he said. "We felt the team was very eager to show this to the whole world. We are proud to get to this stage and again have showed the world that we are a small country but we fight for what we want. To us, nothing is impossible."

Cape Verde's historic run saw them draw all three group matches, including a notable 0-0 result against Spain and a 2-2 draw with two-time former champions Uruguay. Their resilience, particularly from goalkeeper Vozinha, who made crucial saves throughout the tournament, has been a key factor in their remarkable achievement. Spain topped the group with seven points, followed by Cape Verde on three, while Uruguay and Saudi Arabia were eliminated.

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We had this in our minds and heads that we could get to this stage. We felt the team was very eager to show this to the whole world. We are proud to get to this stage and again have showed the world that we are a small country but we fight for what we want. To us, nothing is impossible.