Cape Verde coach Pedro ‘Bubista’ Brito expressed his pride despite his team’s heart-wrenching elimination from the TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations after a penalty shootout loss to South Africa in the quarter-finals.
The match ended in a 0-0 draw after 120 minutes of intense play, and Bafana Bafana emerged victorious with a 3-1 win on penalties, bringing Cape Verde’s remarkable run to an end.
“Congratulations to South Africa, we had hoped for a win but that’s just the way football goes,” a gracious Bubista commented after the match.
“We had a fantastic team and faced worthy opponents. We had opportunities to secure the victory, but unfortunately, we couldn’t capitalize on them.”
Bubista felt that his well-organized and high-spirited Cape Verde side deserved to make it to the semi-finals after their remarkable performance at the tournament.
“Our supporters should be proud of what we have achieved here. We have earned our place in the last four,” he emphasized.
The coach expressed disappointment at his team’s inability to finish despite often dominating the resilient South African team.
“There were moments when we were the better team, but in tournaments, if you fail to convert your chances, it becomes challenging. Penalties also involve an element of luck,” he reflected.
Bubista declined to blame the players who missed their penalty kicks, including captain Patrick Andrade.
“Our penalty takers are some of our best players, but it’s not easy when you’re exhausted,” he acknowledged.
“I’m incredibly proud of what my players have shown here in Ivory Coast. They have represented Cape Verde admirably.”
In their first AFCON knockout stage, the Blue Sharks gained significant praise before their devastating elimination at the hands of South Africa.
