World Cup Qualifiers - Cape Verde beat Swaziland 3-0 to qualify for the 2026 World Cup for the first time in team history
2025-10-14 09:14
On October 13th, local time, the 10th round of the 2026 World Cup African qualifiers saw a thrilling match. Cape Verde, after a grueling 90 minutes, ultimately defeated Swaziland 3-0 at home.
With this victory, Cape Verde secured top spot in Group D and qualified for the 2026 FIFA World Cup in the USA, Canada, and Mexico for the first time in the team's history. In the previous group stage, Cape Verde defeated several African powerhouses, including Cameroon and Libya, ultimately finishing with a record of 7 wins, 2 draws, and 1 loss, totaling 23 points, four points ahead of second-placed Cameroon.
In this crucial match, Cape Verde struggled to find the net in the first half, with the deadlock not being broken until the 48th minute when Dayron Livramento slotted home a shot from Jamiro Montero's cross from the edge of the box.
After taking the lead, Cape Verde continued to fight with more courage. In the 54th minute, Yannick Semedo crossed the ball into the penalty area from the right, and Dini Borges headed the ball to assist Willy Semedo to score another goal.
In injury time, Gary Rodriguez's shot from inside the box was saved by Kanyiakwe Zabalala, but Stopira followed it up with a shot that sealed Cape Verde's victory with a three-goal lead.
This victory not only secured Cape Verde's qualification for the World Cup but also rewrote several historical records: Cape Verde, with a land area of just 4,033 square kilometers, surpassed Trinidad and Tobago to become the smallest country in World Cup history. With a population of less than 600,000, Cape Verde also has the second-smallest population in World Cup history, behind only Iceland in 2018.
The Cape Verdean national team achieved a historic breakthrough just 25 years after its first World Cup qualifier in 2000. In response, FIFA President Gianni Infantino released a video message: "What a historic moment! Congratulations to all the people of Cape Verde—you have reached the World Cup for the first time. Your flag will fly on the field, and your national anthem will resound in the greatest stadium ever."
“Your work in recent years to develop football has been incredible. Now, your players will go out into the world and inspire a new generation of young Cape Verdeans to love football. Congratulations again.”
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