World Cup Qualifier: Libya and Cape Verde Share Spoils in 3-3 Draw
Cape Verde's World Cup dreams will have to wait a bit longer after a thrilling draw in a nail-biting World Cup qualifier 3-3 against Libya in their World Cup qualifier.
Cape Verde is still the favorite to win the group and secure an automatic qualifying spot for the World Cup when they host Eswatini on Monday...
Cape Verde's World Cup dreams will have to wait a little longer after they drew 3-3 in a nail-biting match against Libya on Wednesday. The island nation's team, ranked among the smaller nations in Africa, was off to a rocky start when defender Roberto Lopes scored an own goal in the opening minute. However, they staged an impressive comeback, with Telmo Arcanjo equalizing in the 29th minute and Sidny Cabral scoring in the 76th minute, before Willy Semedo sealed the draw with an 82nd-minute goal.
Despite the thrilling draw, Cape Verde remains in a strong position to qualify for their first-ever World Cup. With 20 points, they lead Cameroon by two points, who won 2-0 away in Mauritius. Cape Verde's next match is against Eswatini on Monday, where they will need to secure a win to guarantee their spot in the World Cup. Eswatini, however, served notice of their potential to cause an upset after holding Angola to a 2-2 draw recently.
Current Standings
Cape Verde: 20 points
Cameroon: 18 points (8 previous World Cup appearances)
Libya: 15 points (still chasing second place with potential playoff route)
Cape Verde has surged to 20 points, two points ahead of Cameroon, after the latter secured a hard-fought 2-0 win away in Mauritius. Cameroon's journey to victory was marked by a slow start, with Nicolas Ngamaleu breaking the deadlock in the 57th minute. Bryan Mbeumo sealed the win with a stoppage-time goal.
Cameroon's World Cup Record
- Previous Appearances: 8 (more than any other African country)
- Best Finish: Quarterfinals (1990)
- Notable Players: Roger Milla, Samuel Eto'o, François Omam-Biyik
Despite their rich World Cup history, Cameroon struggled to find their rhythm in the match against Mauritius. Their experience and skill eventually paid off, but it was a closer contest than expected.
Libya is currently third in the standings with 15 points, still in the hunt for second place in the group. This second-place position is crucial as it offers a potential route to the 2026 World Cup finals in North America through a lengthy playoff process. The team's latest match against Cape Verde ended in a thrilling 3-3 draw.
In the match, Cape Verde faced an uphill battle from the start, conceding an own goal in the opening minute. Roberto Lopes, the Irish-born defender, inadvertently turned the ball into his own net while trying to clear a cross under pressure from Libya's striker Muad Eisa wasn't mentioned as the player who scored but the scorer of the goal is Telmo Arcanjo scored for Cape Verde in the 29th minute to level the score at 1-1. However, Libya regained the lead with goals from Ezzeddine Al Mariamy in the 42nd minute and Mahmoud Al Shalui in the 58th minute, making it 3-1 in favor of Libya. Cape Verde fought back, with Willy Semedo scoring in the 82nd minute and another goal in the dying minutes of the game, securing a 3-3 draw.
Match Details
Result: Libya 3-3 Cape Verde
Goals
Libya:
- Ezzeddine Al Mariamy (42'),
- Mahmoud Al Shalui (58'),
Cape Verde:
- Telmo Arcanjo (29'), Willy Semedo (82', 88'),
- Roberto Lopes (1' own goal),
- Sidny Lopes Cabral (76') wasn't the scorer of the 4th goal but one of the substitutes
The Cape Verde team staged an incredible comeback, scoring twice in the final minutes to draw 3-3 against Libya. Down 3-1 early in the second half, the islanders showed remarkable resilience and determination. They managed to snatch a point from the jaws of defeat, coming close to pulling off a dramatic win that would have secured their place at the World Cup finals in Canada, Mexico, and the US.
Dramatic Finish Secures Cape Verde a Point
Libya seemed to be cruising to a comfortable win against Cape Verde, but a series of mistakes and a dramatic finish changed the game's complexion. Telmo Arcanjo's header equalized for Cape Verde in the 29th minute, but Libya regained the lead through Ezoo El Mariamy and extended it further with Mahmoud Al Shilw's 35-meter freekick. However, the Libya goalkeeper, Murad Al Wuheeshi, had a nightmare moment when he allowed Sidny Cabral's long-range kick to slip through his legs, reducing the deficit to 3-2. Willy Semedo capitalized on the momentum, squeezing home an 82nd-minute equalizer to level the score at 3-3.
The match ended in a thrilling draw, with Cape Verde coming close to snatching a win in stoppage time. A Semedo effort was cleared off the line, denying Cape Verde a potential winner. The result means Cape Verde must now win their final match against Eswatini to secure a spot in the World Cup finals.
Cape Verde is still the favorite to win the group and secure an automatic qualifying spot for the World Cup when they host Eswatini on Monday. However, Eswatini recently showed their potential to cause an upset by holding Angola to a 2-2 draw. In that match, Eswatini striker Justice Figuareido scored twice within six minutes early in the second half, but Angola's Jonathan Buatu and Ary Papel responded with goals from set pieces to salvage a draw.
Other crucial World Cup qualifiers are taking place, with Egypt and Ghana looking to secure their spots. The competition is heating up, and teams are giving it their all to qualify for the World Cup.
Upcoming Matches
Cape Verde vs Eswatini: Monday (Cape Verde needs a win to qualify)
Other matches: Egypt and Ghana playing to secure World Cup spots.
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