Monday Jan 29, 2024. 20:30
The fifth Round of 16 match at the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations saw Cape Verde triumph 1-0 over Mauritania at the Felix Houphouet Boigny Stadium in Abidjan.
Date: Monday 29 January 2024
Result: Cape Verde (0) 1 (Mendes 88’ pen) Mauritania 0
Teams: Cape Verde: Vozinha, Moreira (Semedo 90+5’), Costa, Lopes, Joao Paulo, Monteiro, Lenini, Duarte (Rocha 71’), Jovane (Gilson 85’), Mendes, Bebe (Rodrigues 71’).
Mauritania: Niasse, Houeibib, L. Ba, Diaw, Anne (E.H. Ba 79’), Amar (Kamara 66’), Keita (Elwely 79’), Gassama (G. Fofana 35’), Mouhsine, Koita, Tanjy (P. Ba 66’).
First 45: Cape Verde enjoyed the better chances, especially in the early minutes when a Ryan Mendes shot was deflected just wide of the mark, while Mauritania grew into the match but would have been disappointed to lose Omare Gassama to injury just after the half-hour mark.
Second 45: Mauritania missed a glaring chance before the hour mark when Souleymane Anne blazed a shot wide with only the goalkeeper to beat. Cape Verde built up attacking pressure and were rewarded late on: On 86 minutes a Mauritanian error in defence allowed substitute Gilson to nick ahead of Niasse and earn his team a penalty – Mendes took the spot kick and fired home to put the Blue Sharks 1-0 up and on course for the quarterfinals.
What the result means: Cape Verde have equalled their best-ever performance at an AFCON, reaching the quarterfinals for the second time (the first was on tournament debut in 2013).
What’s next: Cape Verde will go on to face Morocco or South Africa in the last quarterfinal, set for the Charles Konan Banny Stadium in Yamoussoukro on Saturday 3 February.
COMMENTS
Sign in to comment