Happy Friday and happy Independence Day weekend.
Whoah. It would have been a cataclysm in the sports world if Cabo Verde had upset Argentina, I thought, as the match ended.
Afterwards, the Argentina supporters seemed a little stunned, drained— and definitely relieved.
Tim Reynolds writes for Associated Press:
MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (AP) — All that Vozinha wanted out of this World Cup was for his mother to see him play.
He got that — and so much more.
Cape Verde didn’t win a match at the World Cup, and somehow, that didn’t seem to matter. The African team’s debut on this stage was unforgettable, thanks largely to the 40-year-old goalkeeper who nearly engineered a soccer story that would have been counted among the greatest upsets in sports history.
Cape Verde’s magical ride ended Friday in the Round of 32, with the Blue Sharks falling to Lionel Messi and defending World Cup champion Argentina — as most expected. Final score: Champions 3, Cinderellas 2, in extra time — as probably very few expected.
“We have dignified Cape Verde as a national team in most parts of the world,” Vozinha said in Portuguese. “Today, we fought on an equal footing against Argentina.”
