#AFCON2021: Cape Verde Gains Three Points Against Ethiopia

Cape Verde began their Africa Cup of Nations campaign with a 1-0 victory over Ethiopia on Sunday with Julio Tavares scoring the game-winning goal.

Cape Verde took the lead in the first half of the game in Yaounde after Ethiopia’s defender Yared Bayeh was sent off after just 12 minutes.

Ethiopia faced an uphill battle after Bayeh’s yellow card was upgraded to a red following a VAR review of his tackle on Tavares as the Cape Verdean ran through on goal.

Teklemariam Shanko made an outstanding save to claw the ball away from danger after Ethiopian defender Mignot Debebe diverted a cross towards his own goal.

Late in the first half, Cape Verde made their extra man count when Garry Rodrigues hooked a cross back towards goal, where it was nodded in by Tavares from close range.

Ethiopia remained in the game thanks to a series of saves from Shanko, but they created little in attack to trouble Cape Verde and already look set for an early exit with games against Cameroon and Burkina Faso remaining.

This article was originally published on Naija News