74–26 in possession, 8–1 in shots on goal, 11–1 in corners. In every statistical column, Spain was overwhelmingly superior in the match against Cape Verde, except in the only one that counts. When referee Adhan Makhadmeh blew the whistle, the scoreboard read 0–0.
Despite the match being described as a fiasco for Spain, team captain Rodri remained composed after the match.
"It's difficult against such a physical and united team. The positive thing is that they barely created anything against us, but we have to get better at scoring goals," he said.
One of the great heroes was 40-year-old goalkeeper Josimar Diaz Vozinha, who made several great saves when Spain pressed the most.
"I have worked my whole life for this, for this moment, for this dream," the goalkeeper, who currently plays for Chaves in the Portuguese second division, said.
"Several generations have dreamed of it but failed. But the dream came true for all of us."
That several of Cape Verde's players broke down in tears after the match shows that the point against Spain is the greatest success in the history of World Cup debutants, Cape Verde.
In the next round of Group H, Spain will face Saudi Arabia on June 21 and Cape Verde will face Uruguay early on June 22, local time in Sweden.
