Cape Verde Reaches World Cup Knockout Round With 3 Draws as Spain Tops Group on 7 Points
Updated
Updated · The Boston Globe · Jun 27
Cape Verde Reaches World Cup Knockout Round With 3 Draws as Spain Tops Group on 7 Points
3 articles · Updated · The Boston Globe · Jun 27
Summary
0-0 against Saudi Arabia sent World Cup debutant Cape Verde into the knockout round, making the island nation the smallest country ever to reach that stage.
Three group-stage draws were enough because Cape Verde had already held Spain 0-0 and rallied for a 2-2 result against Uruguay, finishing second with three points.
Spain beat Uruguay 1-0 to win the group on seven points, with Álex Baena scoring after Fernando Muslera failed to deal with his shot in the 42nd minute.
Muslera's third error of the tournament helped end Uruguay's campaign; the 40-year-old was pulled at halftime as the two-time champion exited without a win.
Cape Verde next faces defending champion Argentina in Miami on July 3, while Spain meets the Group J runner-up—Austria or Algeria—in Inglewood.