Odair Fortes shouldn’t have to worry about paying for dinner the next time he returns to Cape Verde.
Fortes scored the game-winning goal for Cape Verde on Tuesday in its upset win over Portugal. Linked together for the last 500 years, the two countries played the exhibition game to benefit the victims of last November’s volcanic eruption on the Cape Verdean island of Fogo. Few thought Cape Verde could beat Portugal for the first time, but Fortes and his teammates ignored the script.
The game was goal-less in the 37th minute when Fortes dribbled past a defender and crossed from the right wing. The wind appeared to catch Fortes’ ball and carry it over the out-stretched hand of goalkeeper Anthony Lopes into the far corner of the goal.
Gege doubled Cape Verde’s lead six minutes later when he turned in Heldon’s free kick at the far post.
Portugal head coach Fernando Santos rested the 11 starters who beat Serbia in a UEFA Euro 2016 qualifier on Sunday. Portugal finished with the game with 10 men after Andre Pinto was sent off for fouling Heldon.
Cape Verde’s first win over Portugal might not have come in a competitive game — the two countries only could meet in a FIFA World Cup or FIFA Confederations Cup — but the collection of islands off Africa’s west coast has a good reason to smile, having beaten their former colonizer on the field of play.
Thumbnail photo via Twitter/@FOXSoccer
