Feels like ‘victory’: Cape Verde celebrates heroic World Cup defeat

PRAIA: Applause erupted, drums began to beat and car horns honked. Cape Verde’s narrow loss to Argentina was cause for celebration early Saturday in Praia as the Blue Sharks’ World Cup dream run came to a sad but brilliant end.

The African archipelago of just over 500,000 people progressed to the knockout stages in their first-ever World Cup after drawing with European champions Spain, Uruguay and Saudi Arabia in the group stage.

However, after an epic last-32 contest in Miami where Cape Verde pushed Argentina to the brink, the reigning world champions snatched a 3-2 win to move on, and the rank outsiders’ journey was over.

“We lost the match, but we feel like we achieved a victory because we held our own against the world champions,” fan Adilson Soaresz told AFP. “Cape Verde was magnificent.”

The Atlantic island nation has become one of the fairytale stories of this year’s expanded 48-team tournament, confounding expectations.

In Praia, festivities continued until nearly 3.00am (0400 GMT) with vuvuzelas and live music blasting in the streets.

“Cape Verde leaves the World Cup with its head held high,” supporter Pedro Ramos told AFP from a fan zone in Praia, where Cape Verdeans and visitors had gathered to watch the clash.

“We were so close to beating Argentina. We were allowed to dream,” he said, gleeful that the Blue Sharks had made “the Argentines sweat”.

Down to wire

The overwhelmingly Argentine crowd in Florida was stunned on the hour mark when Deroy Duarte fired in an equaliser for the Blue Sharks to take the game to an extra 30 minutes.

However, an own goal from Diney Borges under pressure from Argentina’s Cristian Romero in the 111th minute settled the match, with Argentina moving on to face Egypt.

Cape Verde’s wild success against the world champions and the match’s down-to-the-wire nature made fans feel like they were witnessing something special.

“It felt like watching a World Cup final,” said Armando Lopes, a diplomat. “Who would have ever imagined that Cape Verde would push Argentina to extra time in a World Cup match?”

Ahead of the game, Cape Verde coach Bubista had said that “we are calm because we earned our place here on merit and there is nothing to fear or worry too much about.”

“We know the importance of the match ahead. It is the match of our lives, but we are going to enjoy it and give our best.”