In a tense Africa Cup of Nations round of 16 clash on Monday, Cape Verde won their first ever AFCON knockout match 1-0 against Mauritania on a late penalty by captain Ryan Mendes.
The captain of the Blue Sharks cemented his legacy as Cape Verde’s greatest ever player, striking a dramatic stoppage-time penalty to secure a historic 1-0 round of 16 victory.
The match at Abidjan’s Felix Houphouet Boigny Stadium looked set for extra time until the 88th minute, when Mauritania’s Cheick Elwely careless defensive header inadvertently set up Cape Verde’s penalty after latched onto by Mendes.
His ensuing breakaway led to Mauritanian keeper Babacar Niasse fouling Mendes in the box, giving away the decisive penalty.
Mendes stepped up and powerfully converted the spot kick down the middle to break the deadlock and give Cape Verde the victory with just two minutes left of normal time.
The first half saw lively and fully committed play from both sides, but a general lack of quality in the final third. Mauritania looked energetic early on with darting runs from deep positions, yet couldn’t capitalize.
Cape Verde’s all-time caps leader Mendes had the best chances, forcing saves from Niasse on a delicate lob and glancing header off a corner kick. However, the teams went into halftime still deadlocked at 0-0.
The second half saw more spirited play without the breakthrough goal. Cape Verde thought they had won it late when Mendes was played through on goal, but the offside flag correctly denied his finish.
Just when extra time looked inevitable though, Mendes would not be denied again. His calm and decisive penalty kick brought Cape Verde their first AFCON knockout triumph in dramatic fashion.
While lacking in consistent quality, the match was a hard fought contest between two committed sides. But the experienced Mendes provided the moment of inspiration Cape Verde needed to advance in the tournament.
The win sets up a quarterfinal clash with either Morocco or South Africa on Saturday.
