Cape Verde has secured its first-ever World Cup appearance after a 3-0 victory over Eswatini on Monday at the National Stadium in Praia, sending a nation of fewer than 600,000 people to the summer tournament.
The Tubarões Azuis (Blue Sharks) had only reached their first Africa Cup of Nations in 2013 and were widely expected to battle for second place in Group D during African World Cup qualifying, drawn alongside Cameroon.
Under the guidance of manager Bubista, Cape Verde remained unbeaten at home, winning four of five matches without conceding a single goal. A 1-0 win over Cameroon helped offset a 4-1 loss in Yaoundé and proved decisive for qualification.
On Monday, goals from Dailon Livramento, Willy Semedo, and Stopira just after halftime rendered Cameroon’s result against Angola irrelevant. Cameroon will finish second in the group and may still have a playoff route to the World Cup.
Cape Verde’s squad relied heavily on experience, with four of the country’s five most-capped players in Ryan Mendes, Vozinha, Stopira, and Garry Rodrigues. Mendes is also the nation’s all-time leading scorer with 22 goals.
Formerly part of Portugal until 1974, Cape Verde joined FIFA in 1982 and became a member of the African Confederation, making this qualification a historic milestone for the small island nation.
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