🤯 Mini-nation set for debut? A World Cup shock could be on the cards today | OneFootball

Lightning-fast counterattack. In stoppage time, your team charges forward with four players against a single defender. Then, the pass at just the right moment. The recipient is free in front of the goal—ready to shoot your country to the World Cup for the first time in history. But then: a whistle. Offside. Or maybe not?

TV footage was soon used on 'X' to identify a potential wrong decision. Bitter, but luckily the World Cup is still within reach despite the whistle. After the 3-3 draw against Libya last Wednesday, Cape Verde has another chance to secure their World Cup ticket today from 6 p.m.

If the small nation with its 490,000 inhabitants wins against Eswatini, first place in Group D of the African World Cup qualifiers is guaranteed—and Cape Verde will travel to the World Cup as the second smallest country ever. Only Iceland, which participated in Russia in 2018, had even fewer inhabitants with just under 400,000.

Let’s get back to today’s showdown, which you can follow live from 6 p.m. by clicking into the match card.

At the Estadio Nacional de Cabo Verde, built between 2010 and 2014 for around 15 million euros, the hosts go into the match as clear favorites. Although Eswatini, with an estimated 1.3 million inhabitants, is significantly larger, the visitors have not managed a single win in nine qualifying matches so far.

It’s a very different story for the island nation. Led by record national player and top scorer Ryan Mendes, the Blue Sharks have cruised through qualification. In nine matches so far, Cape Verde has won six times and lost only once. Even African heavyweight Cameroon, featuring United star Bryan Mbeumo, has been left behind.

Alongside Mendes, the CR7 of Cape Verde, striker Dailon Livramento (Casa Pia AC, Portugal) and Steven Moreira (including 113 games in Ligue 1) are among the big stars of the team. Together, the three could shoot an entire mini-nation to the World Cup today.

If you thought football Monday would be boring, you were seriously mistaken.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇩🇪 here.

📸 FRANCK FIFE - AFP or licensors