DILI, 26 July 2025 (TATOLI) – Cape Verde’s U-16 national team claimed the gold medal at the 12th CPLP Games after edging past Angola 4–3 in a penalty shootout, following a 1–1 draw in regulation time at Dili Municipal Stadium on Saturday evening.
Angola dominated much of the match, creating several scoring opportunities and testing Cape Verde’s goalkeeper with dangerous shots in both halves. Despite their attacking pressure and control of possession, Angola failed to convert their chances into goals during normal time.
Cape Verde broke the deadlock in the 78th minute when Jadilson found the back of the net, briefly giving his side a 1–0 lead.
However, deep into stoppage time, Cape Verde conceded a penalty after a clumsy foul inside the box. Angola’s forward João Capitão stepped up and calmly slotted the equalizer, forcing the match into a penalty shootout.
In the shootout, Angola missed two key spot-kicks, allowing Cape Verde to seal a 4–3 victory and secure the top podium finish, despite being outplayed for large portions of the game.
The win not only crowned Cape Verde as champions but also served as revenge for their 2–0 loss to Angola earlier in the group stage.
Among the nine participating nations in the football tournament at the CPLP Games, Cape Verde took home gold, Angola finished as runners-up with silver, Portugal secured bronze in third place, and host nation Timor-Leste finished fourth.
TATOLI
