It was meant to be a routine interview. BBC reporter Paul Njie was speaking to a Cape Verde supporter when the broadcast suddenly erupted — the country had just scored its first ever World Cup goal. The fan went wild live on screen as Kevin Pina’s stunning 30-yard free-kick flew into the net against Uruguay.
Pina’s 21st-minute strike, a brilliant effort after the Uruguay wall crumbled, sparked scenes of celebration and disbelief in Miami. The thousands of Uruguay fans were stunned into silence, and the camera panned to a very worried-looking Luis Suarez in the stands. Cape Verde, a country with a population smaller than Leeds, were taking the game to Marcelo Bielsa’s side, one of Yorkshire’s adopted sons after his spell at Elland Road.
“Cape Verde fan goes wild live on BBC News as country scores first World Cup goal in 2-2 draw with Uruguay.”
Every run the team in red made was lung-busting and full of purpose. But Uruguay, the two-time World Cup winners, responded. First, Maxi Araujo’s diving header after a headed clearance from Sidny Lopes Cabral struck the post. Then, just before the break, Manchester United’s Manuel Ugarte fed Araujo and Agustin Canobbio coolly slotted home to break Cape Verde hearts. By half-time, Bielsa’s boys were 2-1 ahead.
The minnows’ spirit, however, wasn’t broken. Just after the hour mark, a horror moment from Uruguay — a shocking back pass from Napoli’s Mathias Olivera and an equally poor decision by keeper Fernando Muslera — allowed Helio Valera to roll in a shock leveller. Suddenly it was game on again. Jamiro Monteiro fired inches over as now Uruguay were on the back foot. Araujo had a goal chalked off for a very tight offside shortly after in what became an end-to-end slugfest.
Cape Verde held on for a 2-2 draw, a share of the spoils that, incredibly, leaves them with a chance of reaching the last 32 of their debut tournament. For the fan on BBC News, the moment their country scored its first ever World Cup goal was one to remember — and it was broadcast live to the world.