Cabo Verde’s remarkable World Cup debut continues, with the tournament newcomer still in contention for a place in the knockout rounds after impressive draws against both Spain and Uruguay in its opening two Group H matches.
Standing in the way is Saudi Arabia, which knows that only a victory is likely to keep its hopes of progression alive.
The two sides have never met before and are separated by just four places in the FIFA World Rankings, with Saudi Arabia 59th and Cabo Verde 63rd. Neither team has won a match at this tournament, making this one of the more difficult final group-stage fixtures to predict.
Both sides faced Serbia in pre-tournament friendlies, however, with Cabo Verde recording an impressive 3–0 victory while Saudi Arabia suffered a 2–1 defeat. Combined with Cabo Verde’s strong defensive record—it has kept clean sheets in five of its last seven matches—that may offer a clue as to which side holds the edge heading into this decisive encounter.
