On June 16, Spain played to a scoreless 0-0 tie against Cape Verde in their opening match of Group H at the Atlanta Stadium in Georgia, USA.
Spain fielded a strong lineup featuring key players from major European leagues, including Rodri (Manchester City), Marc Cucurella (Chelsea), Gavi, Ferran Torres, Pedri, and Pau Torres (all from Barcelona).
Despite dominating possession, Spain struggled to find their rhythm against Cape Verde. In the 38th minute, Pedri unleashed a sharp shot, but Cape Verde's goalkeeper, Vozinha, made a spectacular save, deflecting the ball over the crossbar.
Just three minutes later, Cucurella headed the ball down to Torres, who fired a powerful shot from about four meters out, only to hit the crossbar.
The loose ball was then met by Mikel Oyarzabal, whose header was also thwarted by Vozinha's fingertips.
In a bold move, Spain's coach Luis de la Fuente substituted Gavi for rising star Lamine Yamal shortly after the hydration break in the second half, but the team still could not break the deadlock.
In the 89th minute, Oyarzabal received a pass from Dani Olmo and took a quick shot, but it was blocked by Cape Verde defender Lopes in a remarkable defensive effort.
With this result, the island nation of Cape Verde, with a population of approximately 520,000, made history by holding off Spain's relentless attacks in their first-ever World Cup match.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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