After two of the most brilliant underdog displays that the World Cup has seen, Cabo Verde face another sort of challenge in their final game in Group H. Just look at the odds. This is a true 50:50 game. Saudi Arabia might have a population pool perhaps 70 times as large. They might have a domestic league that attracts talent such as Cristiano Ronaldo and Karim Benzema. They might also have a 32-year history with the World Cup finals but none of that marks them out as favorites against the tournament debutants.
There is then a modicum of pressure on Cabo Verde, who would be well set to advance to the knockout stages with a draw that would put them on three points with a goal difference of zero. There will be expectations too for Saudi Arabia, who last got out of the group stages when they made their debut at the World Cup in 1994.
After their backs-to-the-wall goalless draw with Spain and the fearless way in which they took the game to Uruguay in a 2-2 match, Cabo Verde surely will not lack for neutral support. And yet the squad and their coaches do not particularly seem taken aback by the attention on them. This is where they always expected to be. "Since the beginning, what we've been saying is that we would like to compete at the highest possible level, and that's what we're trying to do," said head coach Bubista.
"That's what we've been doing in these two matches, and more important than the result is to be able to show our identity as a team, our strength, our unity, and also our resilience. We're here to compete to try to achieve a new dream, which is to qualify for the second round and I think it's legitimate to think that way."
To fulfil their ambition Cabo Verde might have to lean less on the veterans that have delivered them their first two points -- though sterling performances by goalkeeper Vozinha and his center backs Diney Borges and Pico Lopes wouldn't go amiss -- and ask for more from captain and record goalscorer Ryan Mendes, his side's leading shot taker with three. Maccabi Tel Aviv attacking midfielder Helio Varela scored his side's second against Uruguay, might he merit more minutes after his immediate impact off the bench?
While Cabo Verde's results so far are rightly heralded as triumphs against the odds, much of Bubista's squad plies its trade in the footballing hotbeds of Turkey and Portugal with representatives from La Liga and MLS too. These aren't the butchers, bakers and candlestick makers off the 'cupset' archetype. These are experienced players who can reasonably expect of themselves that they overcome Saudi Arabia as they did Cameroon in qualifying. If the experience of the World Cup is anything to go on then those reasonable expectations are going to be exceeded by Cabo Verde. One of the great stories of the World Cup might have a bit further to go.
Viewing information
Date: Friday, June 26 | Time: 8 p.m. ET
Location: NRG Stadium -- Houston, Texas
TV: FS1 (Eng), Universo (Spa) | Live stream: Fubo (Try for free)
Odds: Cabo Verde +163 | Draw +225 | Saudi Arabia +163
Cabo Verde vs. Saudi Arabia predicted lineups
Cabo Verde: Vozinha; Steven Moreira, Pico Lopes, Diney Borges, Sidny Cabral; Kevin Pina; Ryan Mendes, Telmo Arcanjo, Jamiro Monteiro, Ryan Mendes; Gilson Benchimol
Saudi Arabia: Mohammed Al Owais; Saud Abdulhamid, Abduleah Al Amri, Hassan Al Tambakti, Moteb Al Harbi; Mohammed Abu Al Shamat, Abdullah Al Khaibari, Mohamed Kanno, Salem Al Dawsari; Feras Al Brikan, Musab Al Juwayr
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Cabo Verde vs. Saudi Arabia pick, prediction
If the other game in Group H might be one for the purists, this could be the game for tension enjoyers. Cabo Verde are unlikely to find this easy but they can approach it knowing that Saudi Arabia have to come onto the attack against them. A few well-executed counters and the point they need should be there for them. Pick: Cabo Verde 2, Saudi Arabia 2
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