|
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...
|
Cape Verde secured a spot in the quarter-finals of the Africa Cup of Nations for the second time in their history, thanks to a late penalty converted by captain Ryan Mendes in a 1-0 victory over Mauritania on Monday.
The game seemed destined for extra-time until a careless defensive header by Cheick Elwely resulted in a penalty, which Mendes coolly slotted home in the 88th minute.
The match, played in Abidjan, was a closely contested affair, with both teams creating chances throughout. However, the game ultimately lacked real quality, particularly in the final third. Despite this, the atmosphere was electric, with the majority of the crowd supporting Mauritania.
Mendes came close to opening the scoring for Cape Verde in the ninth minute, racing onto a long ball over the top and lifting a delicate lob over the despairing goalkeeper Babacar Niasse, but narrowly missing the target. The game then became increasingly scrappy, with neither team able to gain a clear advantage.
In the second half, Mauritania began to dominate proceedings, with Aboubakary Koita putting a direct free-kick narrowly over the crossbar. Souleymane Anne then squandered his team’s best chance just before the hour mark, blazing his left-footed shot high and wide when it looked easier to score.
As the clock ticked down, Cape Verde began to push harder for a winner. Garry Rodrigues’ powerful drive forced Niasse into a good save, and the resulting corner saw Mendes’ glancing header well saved. But the Blue Sharks’ persistence paid off in the 88th minute when Elwely’s careless header played in Benchimol, who was brought down by Niasse. Mendes stepped up and confidently dispatched the resulting penalty, securing Cape Verde’s place in the next round.
Despite a spirited performance from Mauritania, they were unable to find an equaliser in the remaining 1o minutes of stoppage time, meaning Cape Verde claimed their first knockout win at an Afcon. The Blue Sharks will now face either Morocco or South Africa in the quarter-finals on Saturday.
Source:GHANAsoccernet.com