Cape Verde 1 – 0 Mauritania

Ryan Mendes transformed a late penalty as Cape Verde beat Mauritania 1-0 in Abidjan to seal their place within the quarter-finals of the Africa Cup of Nations.

Cape Verde captain Mendes struck the decisive spot kick within the 88th minute and the Blue Sharks will now face both Morocco or South Africa within the quarter-finals.

Cape Verde, one of many shock groups of the event after ending unbeaten on the high of Group B forward of Egypt and Ghana, have been second finest for many of the first half, however completed strongly to safe their passage.

Mauritania reached the event’s knockout levels for the primary time by defeating two-time winners Algeria 1-0 of their last group sport to progress as probably the greatest third-placed groups.

The primary-half motion was end-to-end, however clear-cut probabilities have been at a premium, whereas Mauritania have been dealt a blow within the thirty fifth minute when Omare Gassama was carried off on a stretcher and changed by Guessouma Fofana.

Mendes’ early effort for Cape Verde was deflected into the side-netting and Mauritania captain Mouhsine Bodda curled a Fifteenth-minute free-kick simply vast.

Mauritania made all of the early working within the second interval and Souleymane Anne missed the sport’s finest likelihood from open play when firing vast after Sidi Amar’s surging run into the penalty space simply earlier than the hour mark.

Cape Verde got here on strongly within the closing levels with each Garry Rodrigues’ drive and Mendes’ header forcing Mauritania goalkeeper Babacar Niasse into wonderful saves.

The sport’s decisive second got here within the 87th minute when Yassin El Welly’s misplaced headed back-pass was pounced on by substitute Gilson Benchimol, who was introduced down by Niasse for a transparent penalty.

Mendes held his nerve, drilling his spot-kick down the center and the Blue Sharks noticed out 10 minutes of added time to seal their place within the final eight.