Soccer Football – FIFA World Cup 2026 – Group H – Spain v Cape Verde – Atlanta Stadium, Atlanta, Georgia, U.S. – June 15, 2026 Spain’s Aymeric Laporte in action with Cape Verde’s Nuno Da Costa REUTERS/Siphiwe Sibeko
Cape Verde’s historic World Cup debut earned even more gravitas with a defiant 0-0 draw to heavyweights Spain on Monday afternoon in Atlanta.
As anticipated, Spain dominated proceedings, but the scoreline of, say, Germany’s 7-1 demolition of Curacao on Sunday, was never in the cards. The 2010 champions, who many anticipate will lift the trophy at MetLife Stadium next month, outshot Cape Verde 27-6, monopolizing 74% of the possession, completed 804 passes compared to their opponent’s 304.
Most of the credit is due to the resolute defending from the Blue Sharks, which featured former MLS Defensive Player of the Year, Steven Morreira. But 40-year-old keeper Vozinha, who plays for Chaves in the second tier of Portugal, was particularly brilliant with six saves.
He was especially busy in the final minutes of the first half, making three of those stops in a seven-minute stretch, including a diving denial on an Aymeric Laporte header off a corner in the third minute of stoppage time.
Perhaps Vozinha’s finest display did not even count. In the 38th minute, Pedri’s strike rang off the crossbar before the keeper pushed a Ferran Torres follow-up over the post, but the play was deemed offside.
Defender Pico Lopez saved Cape Verde from certain defeat in the 88th minute when he blocked Mikel Oyarzabal’s shot after he was found by Danny Olmo at the penalty spot.
Out of nothing, Cape Verde nearly stole the three points in an absolute shock when they earned a corner off a counter-attack in the 91st minute. The ensuing corner was won cleanly by Dine Borges, but it bounced directly into the arms of a grateful Spanish goalkeeper, Unai Simón.
For Spain, it is a shocking start to its World Cup, but not necessarily a dooming one. Argentina was upset by Saudi Arabia in the group stage four years ago and still went on to win the World Cup. But what was expected to be La Roja’s easiest matchup in Group H has raised obvious concerns for the rest of the way. They face Saudi Arabia on Saturday before ending the group stage against a South American power, two-time World Cup winners, Uruguay.
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