Former Manchester United forward Bebe scored a long-range free-kick to help Cape Verde secure a comfortable 3-0 win over Mozambique to book their place in the Africa Cup of Nations last 16.
Just after the half-hour mark, Bebe scored with a dead-ball strike from 40 metres out in front of 5,794 fans at the Felix Houphouet Boigny Stadium in Abidjan.
They got two goals from captain Ryan Mendes right after halftime, and Kevin Pina scored a stunning goal in the middle of the second half to seal the win.
Cape Verde won their biggest AFCON game ever, giving them six points. They are now guaranteed to win Group B after beating Ghana 2-1 in their first game.
“I don’t know how far we can go. Now we are into the last 16 and we just need to keep working as we have been,” said Mendes, formerly of Lille and Nottingham Forest and now with Turkish side Fatih Karagumruk.
“We know it won’t be easy but we believe in ourselves and in our work.”
On Monday, they play Egypt. Egypt has two points and can move into second place and a spot in the round of 16 with a win.
Even though Mozambique is in their fifth Cup of Nations, they have never won a game in 14 attempts.
Still, they still have a chance to qualify because their next game is against Ghana. Both teams have one point.
Bebe hit a free kick over the bar and over, and then he scored the first goal with a dead-ball strike from even farther away in the 32nd minute. Ernan, the Mozambique custodian, couldn’t stop it.
The 33-year-old player, who was born in Portugal and played in his first AFCON, is now with Rayo Vallecano in Spain’s La Liga. He is best known for his unsuccessful time at Old Trafford in 2010–11, when he only made seven appearances.
Before halftime, Mozambique thought they had a penalty when Geny Catamo went down in the area after getting tangled up with Joao Paulo Fernandes. However, after a VAR check, the Moroccan referee overturned the call.
Mendes made it 2-0 in the 51st minute by stealing the ball from Edmilson Dove, a Mozambique defender, just outside the box and firing past the custodian.
Mozambique’s Catamo then hit the bar with a free kick. On 69 minutes, Cape Verde scored again when midfielder Pina hit a beautiful shot into the top corner from almost 30 metres out.
The Blue Sharks are sure to win their group, so they already know they have to stay in Abidjan until January 29 to play a third-place team in the round of 16.
Photo by EPA/LEGNAN KOULA
