MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (AP) 鈥� All that Vozinha wanted out of this was for
He got that 鈥� and so much more.
Cape Verde didn鈥檛 win a match at the World Cup, and somehow, that didn鈥檛 seem to matter. The African team’s debut on this stage was unforgettable, thanks largely to the 40-year-old goalkeeper who nearly engineered a soccer story that would have been counted among the greatest upsets in sports history.
Cape Verde鈥檚 magical ride ended Friday in the Round of 32, with the Blue Sharks falling to Lionel Messi and defending World Cup champion Argentina 鈥� as most expected. Final score: , in extra time 鈥� as probably very few expected.
鈥淲e have dignified Cape Verde as a national team in most parts of the world,鈥� Vozinha said in Portuguese. 鈥淭oday, we fought on an equal footing against Argentina.鈥�
Fight, the Blue Sharks did. But the journey still ended. There was to open the tournament, with Vozinha leading the way, which led to the captivating tale surrounding the global collaborative effort it took to get his mother to the U.S. to watch matches in the group stage. There were two more dramatic draws that were good enough for Cape Verde to reach the knockout round.
It took a goal from Messi, then a corner kick from the legend midway through the second half of extra time that set up what became the game-winning tally, to save mighty Argentina. The match lasted more than 2陆 hours in real time after the David-vs.-Goliath showdown started. Goliath was pushed to the brink, with Vozinha standing tall against the team that entered the tournament ranked No. 1 in the world 鈥� and the player regarded by many as the best ever 鈥� time and again.
鈥淗e’s a quality, quality goalkeeper,鈥� said Cape Verde defender Pico Lopes, who was recruited to the team with a LinkedIn message 鈥� another made-for-Hollywood story for this squad. 鈥淧robably hasn’t gotten the recognition he deserves before this. … He’s a legend in Cape Verdean football.鈥�
There were no fewer than four elite saves by Vozinha against Messi alone in the final 60 minutes:
鈥� A point-blank stop in the 63rd minute after Messi tried to power a right-footed shot past the keeper, who came off his line to cut down the angle and absorbed the shot with his body. 鈥淣ot many people stop Lionel Messi from three or four yards out,鈥� Lopes said.
鈥� A free kick from Messi in the 73rd seemed destined to curl into the right side of the net; Vozinha got just enough of an outstretched gloved hand on that one to knock it away to preserve what was then a 1-1 score.
鈥� Messi went low with a free kick in stoppage time; Vozinha managed to see the ball through a wall of bodies and dropped to his knees to make a save.
鈥� Late in the first 15-minute extra time period, Messi collected a deflected ball at the top of the penalty area and fired. Vozinha dove to his left, punching that one aside as well.
He did all he could. Everyone in his country’s colors did. It was almost enough.
鈥淎rgentina is a world champion and they have one of the best players in the world, so that in itself speaks of the challenge it was for our team to overcome them,鈥� Cape Verde coach Bubista said. 鈥淎bove that, there鈥檚 the fact that we鈥檙e here for the first time. … We want to evolve so that we can have more opportunities to face the so-called big dogs of the tournament.鈥�
Cape Verde, the smallest nation in terms of land area to make the World Cup, with a population about 1% the size of Argentina’s, will get $11 million from FIFA for making it this far in the tournament.
Of course, the Blue Sharks got a lot more than money. They became known on soccer’s biggest stage, with fans from around the world reaching out during the World Cup run to say they had earned their support.
鈥淣obody has to ask where Cape Verde is now,鈥� Lopes said. 鈥淭hey know where we are.鈥�
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