In the biggest upset of the FIFA World Cup so far, Cape Verde held tournament favorites Spain to a goalless draw in their Group H opener in the early hours of June 16 (Hong Kong time).
The match appeared to be a mismatch on paper. Spain, widely tipped as one of the leading contenders for the title, are making their 17th World Cup appearance, while World Cup debutant Cape Verde entered the tournament ranked 67th in the world.
Notably, ahead of the match, Cape Verde head coach Bubista responded to comments made by UEFA President Ceferin, who had suggested that many matches in the expanded World Cup lacked significance.
Bubista said he was delighted to be competing on the World Cup stage and stressed that his team's objective was to play well, allow their people to enjoy the tournament, and give them something to be proud of.
Ceferin's remarks sparked controversy, prompting several World Cup participating nations and football associations to issue a joint statement expressing disappointment. Cape Verde was among those that publicly voiced concerns over the comments.
Elsewhere, in a Group G match played in the early hours of June 16 (Hong Kong time), Belgium recovered from a goal down to draw 1-1 with Egypt, thanks to an own goal created by substitute Romelu Lukaku.
Three own goals have already been recorded at this World Cup. The previous two came in the US's 4-1 victory over Paraguay and in Qatar's late equalizer against Switzerland.
With the first round of group-stage matches not yet completed, the tournament has already surpassed the total number of own goals recorded during the entire 2022 World Cup, which produced two own goals.
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