Cape Verde 0-0 Saudi Arabia
Cape Verde, a tiny island nation at their first ever World Cup, drew 0-0 to finish in 2nd place in their group and reach the knockout round, in one of the great fairytales of the tournament.
How the match went
Stop and take this one in, because Cape Verde just did something nobody saw coming.
This is a nation of around half a million people, a cluster of islands off the coast of West Africa, playing their first ever World Cup.
And here they were, needing one more big effort to reach the knockout round of the biggest tournament on earth.
Saudi Arabia threw everything at them, knowing only a win would keep their own World Cup alive.
But Cape Verde defended like their whole island was behind them, blocking, clearing, and refusing to crack.
The first half ended 0-0, and the tension only grew as the clock ticked down in the second.
When the final whistle blew on a 0-0 draw, Cape Verde had done it, after they had already held Spain to a 0-0 draw and drawn 2-2 with Uruguay.
They finish 2nd in Group H and march into the round of 32, while Saudi Arabia, who had drawn 1-1 with Uruguay and lost 4-0 to Spain, go home at the bottom.
Match highlights
Watch on YouTube- Date
- Friday, June 26
- Kickoff Time
- 19:00 (Chicago time)
- Stage
- Group stage, Group H
- Stadium
- NRG Stadium, Houston
- Attendance
- 68,278
- Referee
- François Letexier (France)
What's next for Cape Verde?
Cape Verde finish 2nd in Group H and are through to the round of 32, an unbelievable moment for the country.
No matter what happens next, they have already written history at their very first World Cup.
Whoever they draw in the knockouts will not enjoy facing a team that defends with this much heart.
What's next for Saudi Arabia?
Saudi Arabia are out, finishing at the bottom of Group H with just 2 points.
Needing a win to survive, they could not break down a brave Cape Verde defense.
It is a quiet end to a tournament where they were second best in their key games.
Common questions
What was the final score of Cape Verde vs Saudi Arabia?
The game finished 0-0. It was also 0-0 at half-time, as neither team could score.
How did Cape Verde reach the round of 32?
The 0-0 draw left Cape Verde 2nd in Group H, behind Spain. With 3 points from 3 draws, they did enough to go through at their first ever World Cup.
Why is this such a big story for Cape Verde?
Cape Verde are a tiny island nation of around half a million people, playing their first ever World Cup. Reaching the knockout round at a debut tournament is one of the biggest underdog stories in the sport.
Why are Saudi Arabia out of the World Cup?
Saudi Arabia needed to win this game to go through, but they could only draw 0-0. They finish at the bottom of Group H with 2 points, so their tournament is over.