European champions held to a goalless draw by tournament debutants in a major Group H upset.
Image: football365
European champions Spain National Football Team were held to a surprising 0-0 draw by World Cup newcomers Cape Verde National Football Team in their Group H opener.
Spain dominated the match with 74 percent possession and created several chances but failed to break down Cape Verde’s resilient defence.
Even the introduction of Lamine Yamal from the bench could not help Spain find a winning goal.
The result marked a historic moment for Cape Verde, who were playing in their first-ever World Cup match after benefiting from FIFA’s expanded 48-team tournament.
The underdogs, known as the Blue Sharks, celebrated a memorable point against one of the tournament favourites and the 2010 world champions.
Meanwhile, attention shifted to Iran, who were set to begin their World Cup campaign against New Zealand after months of uncertainty surrounding their participation.
Iran’s preparations were affected by political tensions and visa issues, forcing the team to move its training base from Arizona to Mexico before the tournament.
Iran coach Amir Ghalenoei said his team wanted to unite Iranians through football and stressed that sport should remain separate from politics.
