De la Fuente admits Spain lacked sharpness in goalless draw against Cape Verde

ATLANTA: Spain head coach Luis de la Fuente admitted his side lacked sharpness after being held to a frustrating 0-0 draw by World Cup debutants Cape Verde in their Group H opener here at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on Monday.

European champions Spain dominated possession and created several promising opportunities but were unable to break down a resilient Cape Verde side inspired by veteran goalkeeper Vozinha.

Cape Verde made a memorable debut on football’s biggest stage, frustrating one of the tournament favourites with a disciplined defensive display and determined work rate throughout the contest.

Reflecting on the result, De la Fuente acknowledged that Spain should have taken all three points given the number of chances they created.

“In our heads there’s positivity and a desire to improve. We should have won today’s match with everything that happened and with all the favourable situations we created, but we lacked freshness and clinical edge,” he said.

The Spanish coach also praised Cape Verde’s physical approach and organisation, noting that his side had expected a difficult challenge.

“We knew they were going to defend deep with very powerful players. If you add to that the fact that we lacked freshness, then this happens. Football is like that – there are no small opponents here,” he added.

Despite the disappointment, De la Fuente remained optimistic and stressed the importance of improving before Spain’s next fixture.

Meanwhile, Cape Verde will take immense confidence from a result that ranks among the greatest achievements in the nation’s football history.