Cape Verde become smallest nation to reach World Cup knockouts after Saudi Arabia draw | OneFootball

Ollie Whitmore, Chief football news reporter

Cape Verde became the smallest nation to ever qualify for the World Cup knockout stages following a resistant performance to hold Saudi Arabia to a goalless draw while Uruguay crashed out after losing to Spain.

Neither side came out flying knowing what was at stake depending on which way the result swung, with Willy Semedo coming closest for the Blue Sharks and Saudi Arabia failing to properly test Vozinha in a surprisingly tepid first half.

Cape Verde slammed the door shut for most of the half, knowing that Uruguay fell behind against the European champions, and despite missing two huge chances late on are now the first team to qualify with three draws since Chile in 1998.

The result meant it was the end of the road for Saudi Arabia, who generated far too little in front of goal to justify a place in the round of 32 and were bested both at the back and up front by a nation with 37.02 million fewer inhabitants.

As it happened

It took 18 minutes for the first attempt on goal to come courtesy of Saudi Arabia captain Salem Al-Daswari, which was well blocked by a defender in a very tense opening at the Houston Stadium.

Cape Verde soon injected some much-needed tempo to release Willy Semedo down the left wing before his shot from a tight angle was palmed behind by Mohammed Al-Ouwais, a key player in Saudi Arabia’s opening draw with Uruguay.

There was a break in play as Saudi centre-back Hassan Al Tambakti concerningly went down off the ball having seemingly injured his leg before being stretchered off and replaced by Ali Lajami.

Saudi Arabia seemed most threatening when choosing to go more direct, particularly as a cross from deep found striker Mohammed Kanno at the back post but his looping header wasn’t any trouble for 40-year-old Vozinha in goal.

But the loudest roar from the stands in the first half wasn’t in response to anything on the pitch, rather Spain taking the lead against Uruguay in the other game in Group H – sending Cape Verde second as things stood, nearing half-time.

The Green Falcons were not benefactors of La Roja taking the lead, and needed a win to avoid elimination from the World Cup if Marcelo Bielsa’s Uruguay couldn’t find a way to get back on level terms in Guadalajara.

Jamiro Monteiro couldn’t convert Cape Verde’s best chance of the night just minutes into the second half, aiming his shot on the end of a low cutback straight at Al-Ouwais.

Saudi Arabia were short on ideas on how to penetrate their opponents’ resistant defence, having to rely on Kevin Pina’s giveaway to get a sight of goal but Mohammed Abu Al-Shamat’s chip on his overlapping run down the right was held by Vozinha.

With time ticking away for his team to salvage their World Cup campaign, Al-Ouwais pulled off a world-class save to deny Laros Duarte after the midfield substitute was played through one-on-one as Cape Verde broke away on the counter.

Cape Verdean right-back Wagner Pina daringly committed himself high up the pitch on his team’s last attack and could’ve scored the winner had his effort not have been blocked inside the penalty area.

Legendary goalkeeper Vozinha made the save to keep out Saudi Arabia’s best chance that took them over 90 minutes to manufacture, as Abdullah Al Hamddan’s effort was far to tame to trouble the 40-year-old.

A truly frantic ending to a fascinating tie in Huston saw Cape Verde drag a shot inches wide of a half-open net, but they didn’t care one bit as the news of 10-man Uruguay’s defeat broke through and the tears started to flow.

The World Cup’s smallest ever nation were through to the round of 32 of the FIFA World Cup on their debut, to face the holding champions Argentina.

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