1 hour ago
17
Key events
86 min How have Cape Verde not scored! They work it forward again, and there’s a brave block from Al-Amri on Wagner Pina, and the rebound just doesn’t fall where it can be played.
85 min Rodrigues with a good ball to da Costa, but the Saudi defenders reset.
85 min Da Costa works to beat two Saudi defenders and just about does it, but he’s at an acute angle to shoot and opts not to pass.
84 min A drop from Al-Owais! But Cape Verde aren’t quick enough to pounce on the error by the Saudi keeper.
83 min But maybe these subs are helping Saudi Arabia maintain possession, which they’ve done a good bit in the last five minutes.
82 min Tangle of bodies at midfield but no call – probably correctly so.
The final Saudi Arabia sub is coming on – and it’s another player listed as a defender, Al-Harbi, coming on for Boushal. I believe Saudi Arabia have alleged forwards on the bench who will go unused as they chase the goal that would prolong their stay at this Cup.
80 min Ouch. Al-Hamdan with the foul as Cape Verde try to break the pressure.
The free kick is long and wayward, and Saudi Arabia will set up shop again.
79 min Rodrigues blasts the ball into the wall. No, it wasn’t a free kick. He had three players in front of him and shot anyway.
78 min xG tally now: 1.13 to 0.24 in favor of Cape Verde.
76 min Corner to Saudi Arabia now.
Will Cape Verde rue these missed chances?
74 min HUGE CHANCE for Cape Verde on the counter. It’s a big save by Al-Owais to stop Laros Duarte’s 1-on-1 opportunity in the end. Corner to Cape Verde, headed just over the bar.
73 min Free kick to Saudi Arabia, and it drops from the air 8 yards from goal but is headed clear.
Then an extremely long throw-in from Saudi Arabia – must have covered 30 yards diagonally, and a near chance.
This half has belonged to the Blue Sharks, but in a game with these stakes, they’re still one errant pass or defensive slip-up away from going out of the Cup.
Subs for Cape Verde: Monteiro and Mendes are out. Laros Duarte and Garry Rodrigues in. Those changes give me less confidence in the Cape Verde attack.
68 min The last kick before the hydration break is an errant cross from Kevin Pina.
66 min But Saudi Arabia get a chance right away, sending up a high shot that Vozinha honestly doesn’t handle well.
Cape Verde counterattack, and the remaining Al-Dawsari (Nasser) gets a yellow card as he breaks up the run.
65 min As you were. Cape Verde pass around, just inside Saudi Arabia’s half, and Saudi Arabia see no need to press.
Cape Verde play long and out of play.
Saudi Arabia subs: The captain, Salem Al-Dawsari, is out. So is Sultan Mandash. Now entering: Abdullah Al-Hamdan and Mohammed Abu Al-Shamat. Two midfielders out, replaced by a midfielder and a … defender?
64 min When the ball gets back to Vozinha, he seems to be the only Cape Verdean or neutral observer who isn’t nervous. Another pass out of trouble, but only by an instant.
63 min Varela takes a tumble in the box after his first touch of the game, but there’s nothing in it.
62 min Subs for Cape Verde, and it’s a pity to see Willy Semedo go out. He has been, by some margin, the best player on the pitch. Livramento also goes out. Nuno da Costa and Hélio Varela, scorer of the tying goal vs. Uruguay, are in.
59 min Bad giveaway one way. Bad giveaway the other way. It’s compelling because of the stakes, and Cape Verde look industrious at times, but this is not a game to show the extraterrestrials when they decide what to do with their new colony on Earth.
58 min Vozinha plays long. Saudi Arabia win it in the air but give it back again. Now they’ll try to gain some control of the game. They need a goal.
56 min Willy Semedo earns a corner kick. The ball is partially cleared, and Cape Verde pass around again.
Deroy Duarte figures he’ll give it a go and loops a shot from 25 yards but misses.
55 min Saudi Arabia are finding it very difficult to string more than two passes together. Cape Verde are passing fluidly and only giving it up in places where Saudi Arabia can’t do much with it.
53 min Another semi-demi-almost-kinda-sorta chance for Cape Verde, again working on the right and crossing back, but the pass needs to be more precise.
52 min Now Saudi Arabia have a patient possession. Cape Verde get it back and pass to Vozinha, who is very nearly caught with the ball at his feet.
50 min Cape Verde pass and pass and pass and it’s a long-range SHOT from Kevin Pina, just over Al-Owais’ fingers but also just over the bar.
49 min SHOT from Cape Verde, probably should’ve been a little more powerful or precisely placed from Monteiro. Still, it’s not unlike the shot that put Spain in front of Uruguay.
48 min Worth noting – another country that would be grateful if these results hold is Scotland. They need a great deal of help to advance, but this would be a first step.
47 min Saudi Arabia win an early corner.
At the break, they made their second sub – Musab Al-Juwayr, who started the first two games, replaces Al-Khaibari. Maybe a bit more attack?
46 min: We resume.
Silly halftime question: Given the success of smaller countries in the World Cup, should the USA split into several teams?
Just saw a replay of the goal for Spain. Not a stellar moment of goalkeeping.
Halftime: Cape Verde 0-0 Saudi Arabia
The referee blows the whistle as Saudi Arabia try to race up the field. They’re a bit annoyed.
Only one shot on target in the first half, and it was from Saudi Arabia, but Cape Verde will be pleased with how they played, especially in the last 15 minutes.
45 min +5 Cape Verde switch off for a moment, and Salem has some space for a bit before they recover.
Cape Verde go the other way, and a Mendes cross is just off target far enough that his teammate can’t control.
45 min +4 Free kick to Saudi Arabia, lofted high and clear. Cape Verde try an ambitious longball, but it sails across the field to Al-Owais.
45 min +3 I’d very much like to see the last 15 seconds on the referee cam, because it looked like a foul each way.
45 min +2 SAVE Vozinha on a header from Kanno.
Six minutes of stoppage time to come.
45 min A bit of petulance seeping in now as some bodies collide.
44 min The world broadcast feed gives us a 300th look at Cape Verde fans. Meanwhile, a soccer game is in progress.
43 min We have a goal. In the other game. Not this one. Spain go up 1-0. In the live standings, Cape Verde are now second in the group. Did anyone bet on that before the Cup started?
42 min Cape Verde work down the left again, and the ball bounds out to Willy Semedo at the top of the box. He lashes a shot well wide.
40 min Nasser Al-Dawsari steps on Wagner Pina’s ankle – not malicious, but late. Free kick Cape Verde, and it’s lofted tot the center of the box.
Cape Verde keep possession, and Willy Semedo plays a nifty backheel to a teammate. Then they have to pass back, and back, and back, and hi, Vozinha!
39 min Much better corner kick this time. Saudi Arabia knock it out for another corner – oops, wait, VAR intervenes as they may now do. Goal kick, and replay shows the call was correct.
38 min Cape Verde work on the left this time and force a deflection to earn a corner kick. The Blue Sharks have been biting over the last five minutes.
37 min Players haven’t gotten used to taking care to make sure their trailing arm doesn’t contact an opponent’s face. Free kick to Cape Verde. They keep possession and get fouled again. Another free kick.
35 min Cape Verde have dialed up the attacking panache , and it’s a good cross from Wagner Pina. There’s contact in the box, and the recently introduced Lajami is down briefly.
34 min Cape Verde have an encouraging foray forward. Monteiro has a sliver of space to shoot, but it’s blocked.
32 min This is a long spell of treatment for a leg injury. Livramento comes over to pay his respects to his fallen foe as it’s clear Al-Tambakti can’t continue.
Ali Lajami will replace his Al-Hilal teammate.
Saudi Arabia lead in xG, 0.06 to 0.02. Isn’t xG weird?
29 min Half-chance for Cape Verde as Livramento turns on his defender and put in a cross that wasn’t far off the mark. Cape Verde maintain possession and put it back in.
Saudi Arabia recover, but now center back Al-Tambakti is down getting treatment.
28 min Play has resumed, and Willy Semedo earns a free kick just past midfield. Lively player getting his first start for Cape Verde.
