0-0! World Cup miracle: a tiny nation of 540,000 people secured second place with 3 points, advancing to face Argentina, while four Asian teams went home.

On June 27, Beijing time, a key World Cup group match ended: African team Cape Verde took on Asian side Saudi Arabia. The game finished 0-0, with both sides sharing a point. This allowed Cape Verde to write history, staging a World Cup miracle. They finished second in the group, ahead of former world champion Uruguay, and advanced to the knockout stage. In their first-ever World Cup, they managed to get at least one point, score at least one goal, and reach the knockout round—truly the biggest dark horse of this event!

Cape Verde is an African nation with a population of just 540,000, but this team is no ordinary one. In World Cup qualifiers, they stunned powerhouse Cameroon to qualify for the first time in their history. In the group stage, they held two former world champions, Spain and Uruguay, to consecutive draws, achieving their goal of scoring a goal and earning a point. Facing Saudi Arabia in the third round, Cape Verde only needed a win to advance—a very likely outcome, given that neither Spain nor Uruguay could beat them, so Saudi Arabia seemed unlikely to do so either!

In the match against Saudi Arabia, Cape Verde held their own, even dominating in shots, but they couldn't find the back of the net. The game ended 0-0, giving them a third consecutive draw and three points. However, thanks to Spain's economical 1-0 victory over Uruguay, Cape Verde reaped the benefits, finishing second in the group to reach the Round of 32. This is nothing short of a miracle in World Cup history—absolutely dreamlike!

Cape Verde's opponent in the knockout stage is already set: defending champions Argentina. This is a blockbuster showdown—the biggest dark horse challenging the world champion. It will be a true test of the dark horse's quality. Win or lose, Cape Verde has already shone brightly in this World Cup and become widely known to the outside world. That's the beauty of the World Cup!

With Saudi Arabia eliminated, four Asian teams have now been sent home from this World Cup, suffering a heavy blow: Jordan, Qatar, Iraq, and Saudi Arabia. Japan and Australia have successfully advanced. It remains to be seen whether Uzbekistan, Iran, and South Korea can break through and reach the knockout stage. For now, Asian teams still lack competitiveness in the World Cup—there is a long way to go!

Text/Sports Novel

#InkAndBall: Battle for WorldCup# ​