FOOTBALL – Cape Verde qualified for the World Cup yesterday, beating Eswatini 3-0 in their last group match to top the standings ahead of Cameroon and complete a fairytale campaign.
The wind-swept West African archipelago overcame first-half nerves to win in Praia with second-half goals from Dailon Livramento, Willy Semedo and veteran Stopira and book a first-ever appearance at the finals.
They started two points ahead of Cameroon, whose eight previous World Cup finals appearances are the most by an African country.
Cape Verde finished Group D on 23 points, four ahead of Cameroon, who were held at home to a goalless draw by Angola.
Cape Verde rarely played international football some 25 years ago but now head to next year’s finals in North America as one of the nine African representatives.
They join Morocco, Tunisia, Egypt, Algeria and Ghana who have qualified already.
Livramento took advantage of Eswatini’s failure to clear to steer home the ball from close range three minutes into the second half while Semedo also had a tap-in for the second six minutes later.
Stopira, 37, had only come on as a late substitute as an acknowledgement of his long service with the team since 2008, and put a cherry on the cake with a stoppage-time goal.
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