Spain held by tiny Cape Verde at World Cup as Iran make bow
Key takeaways
- Spain, regarded as one of the strong pre-tournament favourites, had been expected to cruise past Cape Verde in their Group H opener in Atlanta.
- Not even the introduction off the bench of Barcelona superstar Lamine Yamal could engineer a goal for Luis de la Fuente’s men.
- Cape Verde’s players and supporters meanwhile celebrated wildly after securing an improbable point in what was their first ever World Cup match.
Why this matters: local context for readers following news across Pakistan and the region.
Add ARY News on Google AAResize European champions Spain were held to a shock 0-0 draw by tiny World Cup debutants Cape Verde on Monday as Iran prepared to make their long-awaited entrance at the tournament after a build-up engulfed by uncertainty.
Spain, regarded as one of the strong pre-tournament favourites, had been expected to cruise past Cape Verde in their Group H opener in Atlanta.
But despite enjoying 74 percent possession and laying siege to the Cape Verde goal, the 2010 world champions were unable to find a breakthrough against the underdogs from the volcanic archipelago of just 525,000 people, who are ranked as 2000-1 outsiders to win the World Cup by several betting websites.