AFCON 2021: Tavares Hits The Front Pages, Cape Verde Leapfrog Ethiopia

It wasn’t an easy-peasy return for the so called group A minnows – Ethiopia, who lost their AFCON opener (1-0) to Cape Verde.

Having had a fine qualifiers campaign, ending runners – up to Cote D’Ivoire, Ethiopia lost their way in the first half, going a man down.

Veteran striker Julio Tavares scored the game’s lone goal to pinch a one – nil victory for Cape Verde.

The game started at an airplane mode and some crunch tackles, finally summed up to Ethiopia’s Yared Belay, receiving a matching order from referee Helder Martins, 8 minutes in.

The later was given the long walk after a horror tackle on Julio Tavares, just on the edge of his area.

Despite going a man down, Ethiopia kept their nerves and almost seemed to to dictate the pace of the game, midway through the half.

The Blue sharks were looking to make the numerical advantage count with 9 minutes of regular playing time – left in the first half. Taveres couldn’t connect to a ball whipped in from the right, before Kenny Santos’ shot was matched by goalkeeper Shanko Balcha.

Ethiopia broke with two minutes of added on time left. Garry Mendes timed his first time cross to perfection, from a long diagonal, before Tavares notched home for one – nil.

Ethiopia started the second segment with some fire.

Coach Frederico Silva and his blue sharks side automatically switched to game management mode, seeking to tire the 1962 AFCON winners, Ethiopia.

Coach Abate Wubetu in search for answers took off skipper, Gibeto Kebede, in place of Firew Ayela.

Making her return for the first time in 6 years, Ethiopia just seemed to fall short with a Cape Verde solid at the back.

Second half substitute, Erickson Patrick was presented a chance from one of such, but he couldn’t make goalkeeper Belcha work.

It ended 1-0 for Cape Verde and the Blue sharks temporarily move second in group A.