‘Cape Verde has more to prove’
Cape Verde midfielder, Jamiro Monteiro, has said his side has more to prove following their qualification to the quarter-finals of the TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations Côte d’Ivoire 2023.
Jamiro Monteiro put up a man of the match performance to help his country record a slim win over Mauritania.
A late Ryan Mendes penalty gave Cape Verde a dramatic 1-0 victory over Mauritania to book their place in the TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations quarter-finals on Monday.
In a tense last 16 clash at the Felix Houphouet-Boigny Stadium in Abidjan, the two sides were deadlocked at 0-0 as the game entered the closing stages.
Cape Verde had dominated possession and chances, with Jovane Cabral having a goal disallowed for offside in the opening minutes. But Mauritania’s defence held firm.
As the match wore on, Cape Verde continued to press while Mauritania posed threats on the counter attack.
The breakthrough finally came in the 87th minute when Mauritania keeper, Babacar Niasse, brought down Gilson Tavares in the box.
Captain Ryan Mendes stepped up to smash home the penalty and make it 1-0.
Speaking after the game, Jamiro Monteiro insisted the Blue Sharks have more to prove and they will give everything as a team in their subsequent games.
“It’s fantastic, we’ve taken another step forward but we haven’t shown everything yet. We can still do a lot, but the most important thing is to qualify for the quarter-finals,” Jamiro Monteiro said.
Jamiro went ahead to hail the goalscorer, Ryan Mendes, for his leadership qualities.
“He’s our role model. I’m here and I can tell you he is a great leader,” he added.
Cape Verde will play the winner of either Morocco or South Africa in the quarter-finals. — Cafonline.com
