Spain Held to Shock 0–0 Draw by Cabo Verde in World Cup Opener – Softfootball

On the Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Spain heavy favorites to cruise via Group G have been shocked by the resilience of Cabo Verde. Luis de la Fuente’s facet dominated possession and created probabilities, however lacked the innovative to interrupt down a disciplined opponent.

Softfootball gathered that The primary half noticed Spain probe patiently, just for Vozinha to emerge because the unlikely star. The veteran keeper produced 4 saves, together with a spectacular tip over the bar from Mikel Oyarzabal’s header, after Ferran Torres had rattled the body of the purpose.

Spain’s anticipated objectives (xG) climbed above 2.0 within the second half, however wasteful ending and Cabo Verde’s cussed protection ensured the scoreline remained unchanged. For Cabo Verde, ranked 67th on the planet and making their World Cup debut, the outcome was historic — an announcement that they’re no pushovers.

Three-and-a-half years in the past, Spain opened their Qatar 2022 marketing campaign with a 7-0 demolition of Costa Rica. This time, in opposition to a nation with a inhabitants smaller than Málaga, they have been held scoreless, elevating questions on their attacking sharpness.

Participant Rankings

Spain

Cabo Verde

Match Statistics