The eternal dilemma of what is stronger, the unstoppable force or the immovable object, seems to have an answer. In a match where they tried from all angles but with no results, Spain drew 0-0 against a Cabo Verde with impeccable defense and goalkeeper in their debut in Group H.
The start of the match was as expected: "La Roja" with possession and "The Blue Sharks" defending deep and clearing every attacking attempt from their rival, who would not effectively penetrate their defense until the 36th minute, when Pedri unleashed a powerful volley that was cleared by goalkeeper Vózinha, although it would all be invalidated by a prior offside from Marc Cucurella, the new signing of Real Madrid.
Shortly after, Rodri sent a cross into the area that found Cucurella, who headed it to Ferran Torres, who would hit his shot against the crossbar. In the resulting rebound, Mikel Oyarzabal would head the ball, but Vózinha would save it with a crucial punch.
Near the end of the first half, Spain would have two new chances to take the lead. First, after a great combination of passes, the ball would fall to Torres, who shot straight at Vózinha. Later, Pedri from a corner sent the ball to the heart of the area for Aymeric Laporte to head it, but once again the Cape Verdean goalkeeper would just manage to send it to a corner.
In the second half, the defense of the African team would begin to weaken a bit, but the European side would not capitalize on their chances, finishing plays in a hasty and imprecise manner. Because of this, after the second cooling break, Luis De la Fuente decided to make significant offensive changes, including the entry and World Cup debut of Lamine Yamal.
While the substitutions would have an immediate effect and give a bit more dynamism to the Spanish team, it would not be until the 87th minute that they would have a truly clear opportunity: Olmo would receive an excellent pass from Yamal in the area and assist Oyarzabal, but his shot would bounce off defender Roberto Lopes. And with nothing else to highlight, the small African team achieved the unthinkable: a draw against the reigning European champion, the favorite of the group and also of the World Cup.
After this unexpected draw, Spain will seek to earn their first three points against Saudi Arabia next Sunday June 21 at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta. Meanwhile, Cabo Verde will try to continue making history against Uruguay the same day at the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami.
