"Cape Verde have booked their place as debutants at the 2026 World Cup after a 3-0 home victory over Eswatini secured top spot in their African qualifying group. With a population of just under 525,000, the tiny Atlantic island nation will become the second-smallest country by population to play at a men's World Cup finals, behind only Iceland, who qualified in 2018."
"The Indomitable Lions needed to beat Angola and hope Cape Verde slipped up, but could only draw their game 0-0 in Yaounde and must now hope to earn a playoff spot. Dailon Rocha Livramento struck from close range just three minutes after the break against winless opponents, before fellow forward Willy Semedo made it 2-0 six minutes later to spark rapturous celebrations. Late substitute Stopira added a third in stoppage time to rubber-stamp qualification for a team ranked 70th in the world."
Cape Verde secured their first-ever spot at the 2026 men's World Cup by defeating Eswatini 3-0 at home to top Group D. The island nation, with a population just under 525,000, becomes the second-smallest country by population to reach a World Cup finals, after Iceland in 2018. Cape Verde overcame a tense first half in windy Praia and produced three second-half goals: Dailon Rocha Livramento scored three minutes after the break, Willy Semedo made it 2-0 six minutes later, and Stopira added a stoppage-time third. Cameroon could only draw 0-0 with Angola and failed to overtake Cape Verde.
Read at www.theguardian.com
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