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Cup 2026
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Cape Verde are level with reigning European champions Spain at half-time in their 2026 World Cup clash.
Spain have dominated possession and hit the woodwork, but Cape Verde have heroically kept the game goalless.
Spain are attempting to win the World Cup for a second time, while Cape Verde are making their debut on the world stage here.
46’ Spain 0-0 Cape Verde
How long can Cape Verde hold on? We're back underway at Mercedes-Benz Stadium with neither side making any changes.
There are star names on the Spain's bench but the fact Lamine Yamal and Nico Williams are on the bench rather than in the starting XI is because they are not fully fit.
De la Fuente did say they could be introduced in the second half, but I'd be surprised if we see them come on at half-time.
Dani Olmo, so often a star for Spain at major tournaments, could be someone that his manager turns to sooner rather than later.
The Cape Verde fans are incredible. The first big save from Vozinha sent a small section of their fans into a frenzy.
A lone Cape Verde supporter in a sea of red shirts then stood up and waved his flag flag passionately. It's definitely not a buzzing crowd like the Estadio Azteca but the atmosphere in Atlanta is a lively one.
In these games where one team is such a big underdog, it is essential that the goalkeeper and defenders have a great game — and that is exactly what Vozinha is having for Cape Verde.
He didn't have to do too much before the hydration break but then was very busy as the game approached half-time. The 40-year-old — yes, he's 40 — has made four saves totalling xG of 1.11.
I fear he will be very busy in this second half.
While lots of the half-time chat will centre of Spain's ineffectiveness, Cape Verde deserve huge credit.
A couple of late Torres chances aside, they were able to limit the European champions for the vast majority of that first half to half chances. And they were even able to put a few nice attacking moves together themselves.
Spain were knocking on the door just before half-time though, so they will be facing a huge task to keep them out in the second half.
The old adage of no games being easy games doesn't quite hold up for Spain here.
The gulf between these two squads is massive and as tournament favourites, this should be a cakewalk for Luis de la Fuente's men. They did finally create their big opportunity with a few minutes left of the first half but Ferran Torres found a way to miss a near-open goal from 10 yards.
Certainly not time to hit the panic button this early on for Spain, but not the first 45 minutes of the campaign they will have wanted.
It’s a bit early for Spain to start thinking nervously back to previous World Cup when they would dominate possession but struggle to make chances against deep set defences, but that is more or less what has just happened for most of that first half.
Euro 2024 Spain were different due to their wingers, with Lamine Yamal and Nico Williams bringing more pace and directness out wide. Both are on the bench today, as not quite 100% fit, while the squad’s third specialist wide player Victor Munoz has also had fitness concerns.
Spain’s best opportunities so far today have also come out wide, when full-backs Cucurella and Llorente have overlapped.
Still, given how the game has gone so far, we can expect to discover which of the three wingers is closest to full fitness quite soon.
At the end of that half, Spain actively seemed to be targeting the right side of Cape Verde's defence with balls over the top for runs in behind.
It gave them two of their best chances of the game, both in the form of balls across the box to Torres on the other side.
Not a sentence I thought I would be writing 45 minutes ago: it's goalless between Spain and Cape Verde at half-time.
45+3’ Spain 0-0 Cape Verde
Nothing is getting past Vozinha today, is it?
Laporte rises from a corner but his header is tipped round the post by the 40-year-old goalkeeper, who got down low to his right.
Wonderful stuff.
It is just wonderful to see Cape Verde fans in the stadiums losing their heads and celebrating every time their goalkeeper Vozinha makes a save.
Spain have risen up a bit after the hydration break and Cape Verde can only thank Vozinha for keeping this to 0-0.
45+1’ Spain 0-0 Cape Verde
Another super stop from Vozinha!
It's Ferran Torres again with the chance, but the goalkeeper gets down low to his right to keep out the shot.
We're into the final moments of the first half and so far, so good from Cape Verde. There are four minutes added on.
So far, the Cape Verde left side has impressed me — that's Jovane Cabral and Sidny Lopes Cabral.
They've combined well to deny the Spanish space to create incisions on the right side, and have offered a few exit balls to help relieve the pressure.
That's the ball from Rodri. The kind of thing he has done so effortlessly for Manchester City across the years, floating it wide for a full-back to attack.
Cucurella pulled it back with a header, and Ferran Torres probably should score, rattling the crossbar.
40’ Spain 0-0 Cape Verde
Now Vozinha does make a stunning stop! Cucurella heads back across goal again to Torres, who rattles a close-range shot into the bar!
It's back out to Oyarzabal, but Vozinha does so well to flip the ball out of danger with a near-identical stop to the one he produced moments earlier.
36’ Spain 0-0 Cape Verde
Cucurella was offside in the build-up but that looked like a huge chance for Spain — and a stunning stop from Vozinha.
After Cucurella's header back into the box, the ball is hooked away to Pedri on the edge of the area and his shot is tipped over the bar magnificently by the Cape Verde goalkeeper.
It wouldn't have counted, but that was wonderfully acrobatic from Vozinha nonetheless.
Spain are at their best when they zip the ball around quickly in the opposition half, with the pace and intensity of their passing key to being able to break open tightly packed defences.
It has all been a bit too pedestrian so far, with too many sideways passes allowing Cape Verde to keep their shape at the back.
33’ Spain 0-0 Cape Verde
Another rare attack for Cape Verde, but Livramento is just offside as he looks to race in behind Cucurella.
Cape Verde have come out at Spain a bit more after the hydration break, necessitated by Spain themselves upping the ante.
It could leave more space between the lines and for runs in behind — like Marc Cucurella's to set up Gavi's blocked shot moments ago.
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