Los Angeles (United States) (AFP) – Cape Verde wrote another chapter in their fairytale debut World Cup campaign on Friday, battling into the knockout rounds for the first time to set up a dream showdown with Lionel Messi’s Argentina. The tiny Atlantic archipelago drew 0-0 with Saudi Arabia to clinch second place in Group H and advance to the last 32 where they will face defending champions Argentina at Miami’s Hard Rock Stadium on July 3.
“To us, nothing is impossible,” Cape Verde coach Bubista told a press conference, his country’s flag draped around him. Cape Verde’s third consecutive draw saw them finish the group with three points, behind European champions Spain who made sure of top spot with a 1-0 defeat of Uruguay. Two-time World Cup-winners Uruguay, who were stunned by Cape Verde in a 2-2 draw last Sunday in their second game, were eliminated from the competition with just two points.
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Spain’s win though came at a cost in a bruising encounter, with Yeremy Pino facing a potentially tournament-ending shoulder injury and Nico Williams suffering a muscle problem. The Group H results brought further clarity to the knockout rounds, ensuring that England, Portugal, Ghana, Egypt, and Paraguay would also advance.
Earlier Friday, France lit up the tournament with another dazzling attacking performance, swatting aside Norway 4-1 to clinch top spot in Group I. France’s reigning Ballon d’Or winner Ousmane Dembele scored a first-half hat-trick as Les Bleus maintained their 100 percent start to the tournament at the Gillette Stadium. The pre-match hype had focused on a duel between France striker Kylian Mbappe and Norwegian counterpart Erling Haaland.
But that much-anticipated showdown never materialised after Norway opted to leave Manchester City star Haaland on the bench. Instead, it was left to Dembele to grab centre-stage from team-mate Mbappe, scoring three times in the opening 32 minutes to set up the win. Dembele’s PSG team-mate Desire Doue bagged France’s fourth in stoppage time to complete the scoring.
Dembele later played down the significance of his quick-fire hat-trick, turning his attention to the bigger challenges awaiting in the knockout rounds. “It’s a unique and important moment for me… I believe we need to stay focused because there are important things ahead,” he said.
Friday’s game had gone ahead against a troubled backdrop for France, with coach Didier Deschamps leaving the team earlier this week following the death of his mother. Both teams, meanwhile, paid tribute to the victims of the devastating Venezuela earthquake just before kick-off. France will now face Sweden in the last 32, while Norway take on Ivory Coast in Dallas on June 30 for a place in the last 16.
Senegal, meanwhile, forced their way into the last 32 with a 5-0 drubbing of Iraq in their final group game, boosting their goal difference to win their first points of the tournament. That win, and results elsewhere, ensured the West Africans would scrape into the knockout phase as one of the best third-placed teams.
In the late games on Friday, Iran’s rollercoaster World Cup journey continued as the team battled to a 1-1 draw with Egypt in Group G that left them in third place, nervously waiting to see if they will advance after Saturday’s final group stage fixtures. The Iranians thought they had snatched victory in stoppage time, but Shoja Khalilzadeh’s goal was ruled out for a fractional offside.
The draw meant Egypt finished second in the group behind Belgium, who finally came good with a 5-1 rout of New Zealand that propelled the Red Devils to the top of the group. A double strike from Arsenal’s Leandro Trossard and goals from Kevin De Bruyne, Romelu Lukaku, and Alexis Saelemaekers carried the Red Devils into the last 32 in first place ahead of Egypt on goal difference.
© 2024 AFP
