The Blue Sharks advance to a quarterfinal on Saturday in Yamoussoukro towards both Morocco or South Africa.
Cape Verde received an Africa Cup of Nations knockout tie for the primary time of their historical past on Monday as a late Ryan Mendes penalty gave them a 1-0 victory over Mauritania within the final 16.
The match on the Felix Houphouet Boigny Stadium in Abidjan was drifting in direction of further time when Cape Verde received a spot-kick and captain Mendes transformed with simply two minutes of the 90 remaining to interrupt Mauritania’s resistance.
The Blue Sharks then held on by way of 10 added minutes to advance to a quarterfinal on Saturday in Yamoussoukro towards both Morocco or South Africa, who meet within the final 16 on Tuesday.
The tiny Atlantic Ocean island nation had bought out of their group in two of their three earlier appearances on the AFCON, however had by no means earlier than received a knockout tie.
Mauritania had been hoping to increase their superb run in Ivory Coast, after they received a Cup of Nations match for the primary time in 9 makes an attempt of their final group sport, beating Algeria to get rid of one of the continent’s powerhouses.
But a facet coached by Amir Abdou, who took tiny Comoros to the final 16 in Cameroon two years in the past, will go no additional after failing to discover a well beyond Cape Verde goalkeeper Vozinha.
A missed probability
The Chinguetti Lions will look again with remorse at one superb probability simply earlier than the hour mark, when Souleymane Anne was performed into an ideal place contained in the field solely to place his shot over.
Cape Verde seemed the extra doubtless workforce because the minutes ticked down, and Mendes got here very near scoring with a header from a nook that was properly saved by Mauritania goalkeeper Babacar Niasse.
They have been then awarded a penalty when substitute Gilson Tavares Benchimol was introduced down within the field by Niasse after intercepting a poor header again from Mauritania defender Yassin El Welly.
The Egyptian referee pointed to the spot, and Mendes, of Turkish facet Fatih Karagumruk, smashed residence the penalty, his second purpose of the match making historical past for his nation.
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