African debutants earn a historic point in their very first World Cup match
Atlanta/Los Angeles: The 23rd FIFA World Cup has got off to an exciting start as expected, with a majority of the matches ending without a winner. In particular, all four matches played from late Monday night through Tuesday morning ended in draws.
Cape Verde Create New History
The population of Cape Verde, an African nation, is not even half that of a large suburb of Mumbai. With a population of barely 500,000, the country’s football team has created history. This is Cape Verde’s first-ever FIFA World Cup appearance, and the team managed to earn a point in its very first match.
Former Champions Spain Denied Victory
Spain, who stunned the football world by winning the FIFA World Cup title in 2010, were favourites to win their opening match in Atlanta on Monday night. However, Cape Verde’s defenders and goalkeeper prevented the Spanish players from scoring a single goal.
From the opening kick to the final whistle, the Cape Verde players kept Spain under control. The match ended in a 0-0 draw.
Brilliant Performance by 40-Year-Old Cape Verde Goalkeeper
Cape Verde goalkeeper Vozinha, aged 40 and representing the world’s 67th-ranked nation, earned widespread praise for repeatedly denying Spanish forwards despite constant pressure on his goal.
At one stage, Spain-supporting fans booed their own players for struggling against a Cape Verde side making its World Cup debut. Eighteen-year-old teenage sensation Lamine Yamal, from whom much was expected, was also unable to break through Cape Verde’s defensive wall.
Belgium and Egypt Share the Points
Belgium’s opening match was against Egypt. Belgium were considered favourites, but the game ended in a 1-1 draw.
Egypt took a 1-0 lead in the 20th minute. However, an own goal by Egypt defender Mohamed Hany gifted Belgium an equaliser, and the match eventually finished 1-1.
Saudi Arabia Hold Uruguay to a Draw
Uruguay were favourites against Saudi Arabia, but that match also ended in a 1-1 draw.
Iran and New Zealand Draw 2-2
After the previous three matches had ended in draws, the clash between Iran and New Zealand also finished level at 2-2.
The match was especially significant for Iran, whose players arrived in the United States following the three-month conflict between Iran and America. The Iranian team had hoped to reward its football fans with a victory, but New Zealand denied them that opportunity.
For Iran, Rezaeian and Mohebi scored one goal each, while Elija Just netted both goals for New Zealand.
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