World Cup 2026 (Q): Cape Verde dominates Mauritius to top Group D

Cape Verde made a strong statement against Mauritius this Thursday, March 20, 2025, during the 5th matchday of the 2026 World Cup qualifiers in Group D. The Blue Sharks emerged victorious over their opponents with a 1-0 win.
The Cape Verde national team hosted their counterparts from Mauritius this afternoon at the Estádio Nacional de Cabo Verde. The match was fiercely contested between the two teams in the first half, which offered little in terms of spectacle. In the second half, Cape Verde took control and finally broke through in the 84th minute. It was at this moment that Yannick Semedo opened the scoring for the Blue Sharks.

The score remained unchanged until the end of the match. The Blue Sharks, through a hard-fought battle, defeated the Dodos of Mauritius 1-0. Bubista's men secured three crucial points, allowing them to seize the top spot in Group D from Cameroon with 10 points. Mauritius, meanwhile, remains at the bottom of the table (5th with 4 points).

It's worth noting that this was the fourth encounter in history between the two teams. Cape Verde leads the series with three wins and one draw. On matchday 6, Cape Verde will aim for another victory against Libya while Mauritius takes on Eswatini.

Lydiane N'Po |

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Sports journalist specializing in African football, covering football news, exclusive stories and digital content for passionate fans of the game.