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The match at the Felix Houphouet Stadium in Abidjan was headed towards extra time when Cape Verde won a spot-kick, and captain Mendes converted with just two minutes of the 90 remaining to break Mauritania's resistance.
Minnows Cape Verde clinched an Africa Cup of Nations knockout tie for the first time in their history as a late Ryan Mendes penalty gave them a 1-0 victory over Mauritania in the last 16 on Nonday.
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The match at the Felix Houphouet Stadium in Abidjan was headed towards extra time when Cape Verde won a spot-kick, and captain Mendes converted with just two minutes of the 90 remaining to break Mauritania's resistance.
The Blue Sharks then held on through 10 added minutes to advance to a quarter-final on Saturday in Yamoussoukro against either Morocco or South Africa, who meet in the last 16 on Tuesday.
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11:18 - 29.01.2024
Throwing back to when Magogo purportedly called Desabre overrated
He explained that Desabre found a mature team that had just been at the 2017 AFCON finals and a good show in the 2018 World Cup qualifiers.
The tiny Atlantic Ocean island nation had got out of their group in two of their three previous appearances at the AFCON but had never before won a knockout tie.
Mauritania had been hoping to extend their fine run in Ivory Coast, after they won a Cup of Nations match for the first time in nine attempts in their last group game, beating Algeria to eliminate one of the continent's powerhouses.
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But a side coached by Amir Abdou, who took tiny Comoros to the last 16 in Cameroon two years ago, will go no further after failing to find a way past Cape Verde goalkeeper Vozinha.
The Chinguetti Lions will look back with regret at one fine chance just before the hour mark when Souleymane Anne was played into a great position inside the box only to put his shot over.
Cape Verde looked the more likely team as the minutes ticked down, and Mendes came very close to scoring with a header from a corner that Mauritania goalkeeper Babacar Niasse well saved.
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09:00 - 29.01.2024
AFCON 2023: Sebastien Desabre's brilliant and emotional reaction after guiding DR Congo to the quarterfinals past Egypt
The Frenchman said he was “happy for the people who are in difficulty in the Eastern part” of the Democratic Republic of Congo, dedicating the qualification of his team to the Congolese population victims of the war.
They were then awarded a penalty when substitute Gilson Tavares Benchimol was brought down in the box by Niasse after intercepting a poor header back from Mauritania defender Yassin El Welly.
The Egyptian referee pointed to the spot, and Mendes, of Turkish side Fatih Karagumruk, smashed home the penalty, his second tournament goal-making history for his country.
Cape Verde Verde will now battle the victor between Morocco and South Africa, as the two face off on Tuesday.
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