The Cape Verdean national soccer selection won a fair and well-deserved victory over Mauritius this Sunday, June 22, in Praias Várzea stadium. The national soccer team beat its Mauritian counterpart 3 to 1, with goals scored by Dady (two) and Marcos Soares (one). The win consolidates Cape Verde as the vice-leader of group 1 - Africa, with nine points, in the joint eliminatory tournament for the 2010 Africa Cup of Nations in Angola and World Cup in South Africa. Cameroon leads the group with ten points.

The two teams took to the field yesterday with two very different objectives - while the Mauritians favored the defensive system, Cape Verde adopted an aggressive posture, constantly looking for opportunities to score. For the first 25 minutes, Cape Verde kept the pressure on Mauritius high, and with quick passes and good shots, the team made its way easily to the Mauritian net.

The first goal was scored by Dady 47 minutes into the first half of the game, which went into half time with Cape Verde commemorating the first point.

The provisional triumph made the Cape Verdean players surer of themselves, but the team maintained its sobriety and remained on top of Mauritius. 57 minutes into the game, Dady scored his second goal, which determined the rest of the game. Mauritius managed its single goal some ten minutes later, but at 77 minutes Marco Soares scored Cape Verdes third goal, bringing the scoreboard to what was to be the final 3-1.

Cape Verdes next challenge will come in September, when it will host a match against powerhouse Cameroon.