Cape Verde easily dominated Mozambique (3-0) at the Félix Houphouët Boigny stadium in Abidjan on January 19. The Blue Sharks are the first team to qualify for the round of 16 of this 2024 African Cup of Nations.
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Blue Sharks have bite! Ghana scorer (2-1)four-time winner of the African Cup of Nationsduring their first match, Cape Verde impressed again by dismissing Mozambique in a one-sided match where they demonstrated their full offensive range.
From the outset, the Cape Verdeans showed that they had not come to Ivory Coast to make up the numbers. With a desire to quickly project themselves towards Ernan Siluane’s goal, they failed the Mambas defense from the first minute of the match to obtain a first big opportunity, without success. In the process, captain Ryan Mendes fired a shot at the edge of the area, well followed by the Mozambican goalkeeper (3rd).
Almost non-existent since the start of the match and struggling to get into the opposing camp, the Mambas once again came close to being punished with a superb floating free kick from Bebé who ended his race by crashing into the crossbar. (23rd). Just enough time to adjust, and the second attempt was the right one for the Rayo Vallecano player: from 45 meters, his free kick plunged towards Siluane, surprised, who could not prevent it from entering the nets (32nd, 1-0).
Mozambique thought they were back in the game after a gross foul on Catamo in the area, following which the referee directly designated the penalty point (39th). But after checking the VAR, it was reversed, much to the chagrin of the Mambas. More in management after the opening score, Cape Verde was less insistent at the end of the first period.
Mambas too imprecise
Chiquinho Conde tried to give his team back the lead with changes after half-time, but the Mambas’ technical inaccuracies got the better of them. On a ball given back in the axis to Edmilson Dove, he missed his control and had the ball stolen by Ryan Mendes who only had to adjust the goalkeeper to double the lead (51st, 2- 0). Geny Catamo tried to imitate Bebé’s goal, but his curling shot could only find the square of Josimar Dias’ cage (58th).
Kevin Gonçalves then took charge of completing the victory of the Blue Sharks with a powerful shot which pierced the goal of Siluane, totally helpless (69th, 3-0). Without inspiration, the Mambas came up against the Cape Verdean defense until the end of the match without ever seriously worrying the opposing goalkeeper. After having already reached the round of 16 in Cameroon in 2021, Cape Verde is the first team to validate its ticket for the knockout phase of this Ivorian CAN.
Read alsoCAN 2024 calendar and results