AFCON 2023: Cape Verde clinches quarterfinal berth with Mendes' late penalty

In a pulsating encounter at the Stade Felicien in Abidjan, Cape Verde emerged victorious over Mauritania in the AFCON 2023 clash, securing their passage to the tournament's quarterfinals in dramatic fashion.

From the outset, both teams exhibited a ferocious intensity, with neither willing to cede an inch on the pitch. Cape Verde's Steven Moreira initiated the early exchanges with a daring solo run from deep within the box, only to be denied by a deflection that resulted in a fruitless corner.

Mauritania suffered an early setback in the 34th minute when Omare Gassama was forced off due to injury, making way for Fofana Gussouma. Despite this setback, both sides continued to trade blows, with the balance of play remaining finely poised after halftime.

The 60th minute saw Mauritania's Bodda Mousine come agonizingly close to breaking the deadlock with a powerful free-kick that narrowly missed the target. Moments later, El Hassan squandered a gilt-edged opportunity, failing to convert from inside the box after an impressive build-up orchestrated by Sidi Bouna Amar.

As the clock ticked towards full-time, the tension reached fever pitch. In the 88th minute, Cape Verde seized a decisive moment when they were awarded a penalty after Mauritania's goalkeeper, Niasse Babacar, fouled Tiago Manuel inside the box. Ryan Mendes stepped up to the spot and dispatched the penalty with aplomb, sending Cape Verdean fans into ecstasy.

𝐐𝐔𝐀𝐋𝐈𝐅𝐈𝐄𝐃! ✅

The Blue Sharks swim to the #TotalEnergiesAFCON2023 quarter-finals! 🦈🇨🇻 pic.twitter.com/jyRpsZ4wz8

— CAF_Online (@CAF_Online) January 29, 2024

The final whistle confirmed Cape Verde's hard-fought victory and their progression to the quarterfinals of AFCON 2023.

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