With yet another draw, Cape Verde fairytale continues
Cape Verde wrote another chapter in its fairytale World Cup debut on Friday, battling into the knockout rounds for the first time to set up a dream showdown with Lionel Messi’s Argentina.
The tiny Atlantic archipelago drew 0-0 with Saudi Arabia to clinch second place in Group H and advance to the round of 32, where it will face defending champion Argentina at Miami’s Hard Rock Stadium on July 3.
“To us, nothing is impossible,” Cape Verde coach Bubista told a press conference, his country’s flag draped around him.
Cape Verde’s third consecutive draw saw it finish the group with three points, behind European champion Spain, which secured top spot with a 1-0 victory over Uruguay.
Two-time World Cup champion Uruguay, which was held to a stunning 2-2 draw by Cape Verde last Sunday in its second game, was eliminated with just two points.
Spain’s victory came at a cost in a bruising encounter, with Yeremy Pino facing a potentially tournament-ending shoulder injury and Nico Williams suffering a muscle problem.
The Group H results brought further clarity to the knockout rounds, ensuring that England, Portugal, Ghana, Egypt and Paraguay also advanced.
Earlier on Friday, France lit up the tournament with another dazzling attacking performance, swatting aside Norway 4-1 to clinch top spot in Group I.
France’s reigning Ballon d’Or winner Ousmane Dembele scored a first-half hat trick as Les Bleus maintained their perfect start to the tournament at Gillette Stadium.
The pre-match hype had focused on a duel between France striker Kylian Mbappe and Norway counterpart Erling Haaland.
But that much-anticipated showdown never materialized after Norway opted to leave Manchester City star Haaland on the bench.
Instead, it was Dembele who took center stage from teammate Mbappe, scoring three times in the opening 32 minutes to set up the victory. Dembele’s Paris Saint-Germain teammate Desire Doue added France’s fourth in stoppage time to complete the scoring.
Dembele later played down the significance of his quick-fire hat trick, turning his attention to the bigger challenges awaiting in the knockout rounds.
“It’s a unique and important moment for me … I believe we need to stay focused because there are important things ahead,” he said.
Friday’s match went ahead against a troubled backdrop for France, with coach Didier Deschamps leaving the team earlier this week following the death of his mother.
Both teams, meanwhile, paid tribute to the victims of the devastating Venezuela earthquake before kickoff, observing a moment of silence.
France will now face Sweden in the round of 32, while Norway takes on Ivory Coast in Dallas on June 30 for a place in the round of 16.
Senegal, meanwhile, forced its way into the round of 32 with a 5-0 drubbing of Iraq in its final group match.
