40-year-old Goalkeeper Stuns World by Making Incredible Saves Against Spain
ATLANTA - Cape Verde, the third smallest country to ever qualify for the World Cup, held favorite Spain to a scoreless draw in front of 67,640 people at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. The result was a significant achievement for Cape Verde, which is ranked 67th in FIFA's World Cup rankings, while Spain is ranked 2nd.
Goalkeeper Vozinha, 40, played a crucial role in the match, making seven saves, the second-most by a goalkeeper age 40 or older in a single World Cup match since 1966. Vozinha, who was emotional after the match, dedicated the result to his mother and grandparents, who he said were his inspiration.
Cape Verde's coach, Bubista, described Vozinha's performance as "a cry of resilience," adding that he was overwhelmed with emotion. Vozinha gained over two million followers on Instagram after the match and was awarded the player of the match trophy.
Spain had 27 attempts on goal, but only seven were on target, as Cape Verde's defense held strong. Spain's head coach, Luis de La Fuente, had warned that the match would be difficult, saying that Cape Verde was a well-structured team that played well tactically.
The result has given Cape Verde confidence ahead of their next match against Uruguay on Sunday. Midfielder Laros Duarte said the team had already had confidence before the match, but the result against Spain has given them an even better feeling. Spain, meanwhile, will play Saudi Arabia on Sunday in a must-win game.
Goalkeeper Vozinha, 40, played a crucial role in the match, making seven saves, the second-most by a goalkeeper age 40 or older in a single World Cup match since 1966. Vozinha, who was emotional after the match, dedicated the result to his mother and grandparents, who he said were his inspiration.
Cape Verde's coach, Bubista, described Vozinha's performance as "a cry of resilience," adding that he was overwhelmed with emotion. Vozinha gained over two million followers on Instagram after the match and was awarded the player of the match trophy.
Spain had 27 attempts on goal, but only seven were on target, as Cape Verde's defense held strong. Spain's head coach, Luis de La Fuente, had warned that the match would be difficult, saying that Cape Verde was a well-structured team that played well tactically.
The result has given Cape Verde confidence ahead of their next match against Uruguay on Sunday. Midfielder Laros Duarte said the team had already had confidence before the match, but the result against Spain has given them an even better feeling. Spain, meanwhile, will play Saudi Arabia on Sunday in a must-win game.
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