Cabo Verde Stuns Spain with Goalless Draw in World Cup Shocker

Live updates: Spain vs Cabo Verde

By Andrew McGarry

Collapse all posts

off

Sort

Sort posts

New: Filters

Choose what information you see below by using filters

Filter Posts

All

56

Key Events

7

Spain vs Cabo Verde

44

Belgium vs Egypt

3

Belgium will have plenty of support in Seattle

A

By Andrew McGarry

Lukaku on the bench for Belgium against Egypt

A

By Andrew McGarry

Belgium's Romelu Lukaku starts on the bench for ​the World Cup Group G opener against Egypt after an injury-hit season for Italian ​side ‌Napoli.

Lukaku is Belgium's record goalscorer, but did not start a game for Napoli ‌in 2025-26.

Goalkeeper Thibaut ⁠Courtois and midfielder Kevin De Bruyne ‌start for ​Belgium in ‌their fourth World Cup campaign.

Their lineup is:

Thibaut Courtois; Thomas Meunier, ‌Brandon Mechele, Nathan Ngoy, Timothy Castagne; Youri Tielemans, ‌Kevin ​De Bruyne, ⁠Amadou Onana; Leandro Trossard, Charles De Ketelaere, Jeremy Doku.

Egypt, seeking their first World Cup finals win in their fourth ​appearance, ‌are captained by Mo Salah on his 34th birthday.

For Egypt, things tend to revolve around longtime Liverpool striker Salah.

This will probably be his last World Cup - although when we look at the likes of Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, and indeed Vozinha, playing at 40, maybe not.

Here is the Egyptian lineup:

With reporting from Reuters

Next up: Belgium vs Egypt in Seattle

A

By Andrew McGarry

After all that craziness, it's time to look forward to our second game of the day, with the Group G opener between Belgium and Egypt in Seattle.

The Red Devils are ranked ninth in the FIFA world rankings, while Egypt (the Pharaohs) are ranked 29th.

Could Spain end up playing Argentina in the round of 32?

A

By Andrew McGarry

Before this game, I doubt you would have found anyone outside the most one-eyed supporters of Saudi Arabia or Uruguay who would have entertained the prospect of a team other than Spain winning Group H.

It's still highly unlikely, but it has to be considered after that seismic result in Atlanta.

The important thing to take out of this is the way the World Cup draw is set out.

Top ranked teams are seeded and drawn to avoid each other in the early knockout rounds.

But now, there is a non-zero chance that Spain finishes second in Group H.

The runner-up in Group H plays the winner of Group J.

And who is most likely to win Group J? The defending champions Argentina, with superstar Lionel Messi.

Can anyone cope with the prospect of the holders or the Cup favourites going out in the round of 32? We've a long way to go before then, but good grief. What a storyline THAT would be.

Vozinha the man of the match - officially or unofficially

A

By Andrew McGarry

I haven't seen the official announcement of the man of the match, but if there are any other votes for players other than Cabo Verde's goalkeeper Vozinha, then there should be removal of voters' credentials.

The 40-year-old produced one of the great all-time World Cup performances in goal, single-handedly keeping the Blue Sharks level with a string of top-class saves, with diving stops and tips over the bar.

Bravo Vozinha and Cabo Verde!

What a game

A

By Andrew McGarry

Oh the ignominy for Spain! Even though goalless that's right up there with Qatar v Switzerland. Well done Cabo Verde, and thanks for the entertainment.

- Big Ben

Big Ben,

I'm with you!

Games like that are why you can't just write off scoreless draws.

FT stats

A

By Andrew McGarry

Shots: Spain 23, Cabo Verde 6

Shots on target: Spain 8, Cabo Verde 1

Possession: Spain 74 per cent, Cabo Verde 26 per cent

Pass accuracy: Spain 92 per cent, Cabo Verde 74 per cent

Corners: Spain 11, Cabo Verde 1

These figures above are the exact reason for the phrase "there are lies, damn lies and statistics."

Spain had 23 shots, eight of them on target - most of those blocked or saved by the incredible keeper Vozinha.

La Roja had 11 corners to one, and they had a mega-squillion Euros (not a real term but go with me here) on the pitch, and yet they could not break down the Blue Sharks defence.

An utterly gobsmacking result.

FT: CABO VERDE TAKES A POINT OFF SPAIN

A

By Andrew McGarry

One last header across goal from Oyarzabal goes out for a goal kick.

The referee blows for full time!

CABO VERDE GET A POINT AGAINST SPAIN! Oh. My. Goodness.

The Spanish never quite hit the expected heights, forcing save after save but never looking like they had the cut-through, even after Lamine Yamal came off the bench in the final 20.

Vozinha was the star for Cabo Verde in goal, while a few Spanish strikers would be feeling pretty low after that performance.

Extraordinary scenes in Atlanta. Is anyone daring to knock a 48-team World Cup now?

That is the sort of thing that this tournament throws up occasionally - for the Blue Sharks and everyone in Cabo Verde, that is literally the result of a lifetime!

90+4 Another break, another shot goes wide from Cabo Verde

A

By Andrew McGarry

The time is ticking down and Spain are getting desperate.

Cabo Verde break again, but Ryan Mendes' shot sprays wide again.

90+2 Cabo Verde break again but no joy

A

By Andrew McGarry

The faces on the Spanish bench are looking ... stressed to say the least.

Cabo Verde break again, the move breaks down but they have three minutes to hold out. What is happening here?

90' Cabo Verde break but shot goes wide!

A

By Andrew McGarry

The Blue Sharks break!

Here we go, it goes out wide left, and then brought back, but the shot is deflectged out for a corner.

ANd the corner is headed straight at Unai Simon!

Five minutes of added time!

88' A Spanish shot deflected over the bar

A

By Andrew McGarry

Spain break here down the right, Dani Olmo crosses it into the middle, and it's Oyarzabal with the shot - and "Pico" Lopes with the block over the bar!

What a performance.

85' More shots blocked and wide from Spain

A

By Andrew McGarry

This is quite incredible, that an all-star attack like Spain is still waiting to score against Cabo Verde with five minutes left.

The blue Sharks are still tackling anmd blocking for all their worth, and a tired shot from Pedri rolls well wide to the right.

82' Vozinha stops another header from Cucarella

A

By Andrew McGarry

Dare we say that time is starting to run out for Spain?

Another cross from teh right, it bounces and Cucarella heads it toward goal - but there's not enough power and Vozinha saves again.

80' More clearances and the Blue Sharks still holding out

A

By Andrew McGarry

We are having corners and crosses and everything being thrown at Cabo Verde, and a header clear from right in front of goal.

Ferran Torres is being removed for Dani OImo.

It's all hands to the wheel for La Roja here.

77' The ball is pinging around the Cabo Verde box

A

By Andrew McGarry

For those of you who like football formations, Cabo Verde are now playing a 6-4-0, with no one up front and a six-man backline.

The ball is pinging around the front half, and Spain are really trying to make the breakthrough, but it's still holding somehow.

75' Desperate defence from Cabo Verde

A

By Andrew McGarry

The Blue Sharks are under the pump here, and Spain look much more likely to score now.

That was a great ball - but it was chopped out with a desperate intercept by the defence.

72' Shot from Mikel Merino saved by Vozinha

A

By Andrew McGarry

The game has changed already. The fans are in to it, the roar is constant, and La Roja are moving it more quickly.

It's going to be a big task for Cabo Verde to keep holding out.

There's a cross, and Mikel Merino gets a shot in, but you've guessed it, it's a save from Vozinha!