By Nick Said
HOUSTON, June 25 (Reuters) - Cape Verde will give Saudi Arabia the same respect they showed to Spain and Uruguay in their crunch World Cup Group H clash in Houston on Friday, but believe a place in the round of 32 is within their grasp, according to defender Pico Lopes.
Victory will seal a place in the knockout stages on debut for the Cape Verdeans, who were surprise qualifiers for the finals but have earned excellent draws in their first two games.
They have subsequently become a favourite
with many fans around the world for their fighting spirit and no shortage of quality, and Lopes said there was a real hunger within the squad to not let their journey end in Houston.
“The support has been amazing from all over the world,” Lopes told reporters on Thursday. “It has been really special. It is hard to believe we are even here, but you qualify for these tournaments on merit.
“You need to work hard and the (Cape Verde) federation has certainly worked so hard to have the best talent available. It wasn’t easy, but we never stopped believing.”
Lopes said the message remained the same for the players - enjoy the moment.
“We got a great point against Spain and there is a self-belief and confidence in this team that we can mix with the best in the world,” he said.
“This match against Saudi Arabia is maybe one that both teams thought they could get something from (coming into the tournament) and would target for three points. Nothing changes, we will try to win and see what comes next.
“There are no bad teams here. We will show (Saudi Arabia) the same respect as we did to Spain and Uruguay.”
Cape Verde coach Bubista said his side will not be overawed by the occasion or feel they do not belong on the global stage.
“We are very happy to be able to participate in the World Cup,” he said. “Football belongs to everyone. It does not belong only to wealthier countries.
“Saudi Arabia are a very organised team. They have great transitions, it is a difficult opponent, but we will rely on our organisation. We have confidence in our plan.”
(Reporting by Nick Said, Editing by Ken Ferris)
