In a dance of fate on the field, Ryan Mendes etched his name into the tapestry of triumph, converting a late penalty that resonated with echoes of glory as Cape Verde soared to a 1-0 victory over Mauritania in Abidjan. The stage was set, and Mendes, adorned with the captain’s armband, struck the decisive spot kick with finesse in the 88th minute, casting a spell that sealed their passage into the quarter-finals of the Africa Cup of Nations.
The Blue Sharks of Cape Verde, a revelation in the tournament, emerged unbeaten at the pinnacle of Group B, outshining stalwarts Egypt and Ghana. While the first half found them playing second fiddle, the symphony of their resurgence crescendoed, weaving a narrative of determination and resilience.
Mauritania, stepping onto the knockout stage for the first time, had overcome the odds by toppling two-time champions Algeria in a gripping group finale. As the first half unfolded with end-to-end action, opportunities were a rare gem, and the landscape shifted when Omare Gassama’s departure in the 35th minute set the stage for Guessouma Fofana.
Mendes painted the early canvases with an effort deflected into the side-netting while Mauritania’s captain, Mouhsine Bodda, brushed the edges of the goal with a 15th-minute free-kick. The pendulum swung, and Mauritania dictated the rhythm in the second period, yet it was Souleymane Anne’s misfire that held the echo of the game’s best chance.
In the final stages, Cape Verde surged forth, with Garry Rodrigues and Mendes orchestrating a crescendo that forced Mauritania’s custodian, Babacar Niasse, into a ballet of saves. The climax arrived in the 87th minute, a moment etched in fate’s design, as Yassin El Welly’s errant headed back-pass became the canvas for substitute Gilson Benchimol. In a poetic ballet of errors, Benchimol, embraced by the hands of destiny, was brought down by Niasse, unfurling a clear penalty.
Mendes, the maestro, held his nerve in the theatre of pressure, drilling the spot-kick down the middle, a stroke that echoed through the Blue Sharks’ realm. As the waves of elation subsided, they navigated ten minutes of added time, sealing their place in the last eight, where they await the verses of destiny against either Morocco or South Africa on Saturday, February 3rd at Stade Charles Konan Banny de Yamoussoukro.
The ballad of Cape Verde in AFCON 2023 continues, a tale woven with the threads of late heroics and poetic redemption.
