Cape Verde qualify for knockout stages after goalless draw with Saudi Arabia

[p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/saudi-arabia/biSY8ox4/"]Saudi Arabia[/a] needed a win to be in with a chance of progressing, but they struggled to create chances in a cagey start to proceedings. The two teams have set up to defend in a low block in their two opening games, and both struggled to come out of their shell and take control here, with neither registering a shot before the quarter-hour mark.[/p][p]It took until the midway point of the first half for a goalkeeper to be called into action. [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/semedo-willy/00eTrJz0/"]Willy Semedo[/a] created space on the edge of the box before trying his luck, but Saudi stopper [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/al-owais-mohammed/hKyctrkU/"]Mohammed Al-Owais[/a] was alert to turn it behind for a corner.[/p][p]Semedo had the next best opportunity with a volley that sat up perfectly for the [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/cape-verde/MocyWdm7/"]Cape Verde[/a] forward, but his shot flew wide, bringing an uneventful first half to a close.[/p][image alt="Momentum" id="b2b6bf25-8253-4eaf-9b38-b43c105c2f91" credit-line="Opta by Stats Perform" guid="d5a2ec19-8d70-4ee6-af84-c0738ea24b59" original-width="1080" original-height="1080" /][p]With [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/spain/bLyo6mco/"]Spain[/a] leading against [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/uruguay/xMk44orG/"]Uruguay[/a] at HT in the other game in the group, Cape Verde were in pole position to take second place, and the African side came close to cementing their strong position after the restart.[/p][p]A slick passing move presented Cape Verde with the game’s best chance, but [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/monteiro-jamiro/QXkjtqYd/"]Jamiro Monteiro[/a] couldn’t apply the finishing touch with his tame effort comfortably saved by Al-Owais.[/p][p]Saudi Arabia struggled to create anything going forward, and subsequently fell at the group stage hurdle for a sixth successive WC appearance.[/p][image alt="Match Stats" id="b8fd975c-cb0f-472d-b48e-9e4bc32d3316" credit-line="Opta by Stats Perform" guid="fad2a7f3-f04c-422a-b471-d2e9b4d77065" original-width="1080" original-height="1080" /][p]Cape Verde - who spurned a huge chance to win the game with the final kick when [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/da-costa-joia-nuno/Megzw2qb/"]Nuno da Costa[/a] glanced wide - kept their second clean sheet of the tournament, becoming just the third African nation to go through the group stage of a debut WC without losing. [/p][p]Their reward in the Round of 32 presents the Blue Sharks with a huge opportunity, as they face reigning WC champions [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/argentina/f9OppQjp/"]Argentina[/a] in Miami.[/p][p][b]Flashscore Man of the Match: [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/al-amri-abdulelah/rZSEa8BL/"]Abdulelah Al-Amri[/a] (Saudi Arabia)[/b][/p][p][b][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/soccer/cape-verde-MocyWdm7/saudi-arabia-biSY8ox4/summary/stats/?mid=487Xar9k"]Catch up on the match stats with Flashscore.[/a][/b][/p]