Vozinha’s seven saves hold Spain to Group H stalemate
Vozinha's seven saves hold Spain to Group H stalemate
Cape Verde goalkeeper Vozinha made seven saves to earn his country a 0-0 draw against Spain in a Group H match at the 2026 FIFA World Cup in Atlanta on June 15, 2026. The result marked one of the most significant upsets of the tournament so far, denying the second-ranked Spanish side a winning start to their campaign.
It was Cape Verde’s first ever appearance at a FIFA World Cup, made possible by the expansion of the tournament field to 48 nations. The island nation of roughly 524,800 people had been pursuing World Cup qualification since 2002. Spain, ranked second in the world and a former world champion, entered the tournament among the favourites and held a commanding advantage in shots on goal – seven to Cape Verde’s one – yet failed to convert. Mikel Oyarzabal attempted five of those seven shots, while Lamine Yamal, who began the match as a substitute, could not break the deadlock after coming on.
Spain won the World Cup in 2010 in South Africa but have not advanced beyond the round of 16 in either of the two tournaments since. The draw leaves both sides level on one point in Group H, with the standings set to shift depending on the outcome of the Saudi Arabia-Uruguay match played later the same day.
Both Cape Verde and Spain will return to Group H action with their next fixtures determining whether Cape Verde can sustain one of the tournament’s most striking opening results, and whether Spain can recover the form expected of a side with genuine title ambitions.
