Spain came to Atlanta as European champions and left with a point they will regard as an embarrassment. Across 94 minutes at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Luis de la Fuente's side generated 25 shots, controlled 74 per cent of possession, and found the net precisely zero times. Vozinha, Cape Verde Islands' goalkeeper, was the story of the afternoon, and he knew it before the final whistle had stopped ringing.
The expected-goals figure of 2.16 for Spain tells you everything about the pattern: territorial dominance, a functioning creative engine, no finishing. Ferran Torres was the sharpest illustration of that failing. He occupied the right forward position for 81 minutes, accumulated chances that the statistics show as inside-the-box attempts, and contributed nothing to the scoreline. Seven saves from Vozinha across the 90 suggests at least some of those efforts asked genuine questions, but the goalkeeper answered each one.
Pedri was Spain's best player by a distance, pulling strings in the middle third, receiving in tight spaces, and keeping the passing tempo honest. His yellow card, the only real disciplinary moment of note for Spain, was the price of his intensity rather than any disciplinary lapse in character. Rodri, back in a World Cup after injury absences that felt interminable, was metronomic behind him. Together they completed passes at the rate their side's 92 per cent accuracy demands, but a midfield that controls a match needs forwards who can finish it.
Cape Verde Islands set up in a 4-1-4-1 and were content from the first whistle to let Spain have the ball and defend the spaces that matter. Kevin Lenini sat deep, Jamiro Monteiro and Ryan Mendes worked the channels, and the back four, led by a composed Diney Borges, held its shape under sustained pressure. Borges, alongside the young centre-back Pico, dealt with Spain's forward line cleanly enough that Vozinha's heroics, considerable as they were, came against half-chances as much as clearcut opportunities. Cape Verde managed only six shots in total, but their threat on the break was real: three offsides suggest they at least tested the line.
Aymeric Laporte was the pick of Spain's defenders, authoritative and unhurried, and Marcos Llorente showed intent going forward from right back. Pau Cubarsí, the young Barcelona centre-half, read the game well enough on the occasions Cape Verde did counter. Marc Cucurella was solid if unspectacular on the left.
Fabian Ruiz and Gavi were both withdrawn at 71 minutes, Mikel Merino and Lamine Yamal introduced in their place. The latter's 23 minutes generated expectation but no clear breakthrough. De la Fuente sent fresh bodies forward in pursuit of a breakthrough, yet Spain could not convert their dominance into anything more substantial.
For Cape Verde, this is an extraordinary start to their maiden World Cup appearance. Pedro Leitao Brito's side leaves Atlanta with a point against one of the tournament favourites, and the group table now shows them level with Spain, Saudi Arabia and Uruguay both still to play their openers. The only sour note for the debutants was Sidny Lopes Cabral's yellow card before his substitution in the 76th minute.
Spain will point to the xG, the possession figures, the ten corners. Those are the correct numbers to lean on if you are trying to remain calm. Group H, however, offers no margin for continued profligacy: Uruguay and Saudi Arabia now know exactly what Cape Verde are capable of organising, and Spain know exactly what happens when they cannot convert territory into goals. De la Fuente has subs of quality to call upon, and the assumption must be that they will be needed before long. Whether that solves the finishing problem or merely redistributes it remains to be seen.
Vozinha takes the match ball home. Spain take a point and some searching questions.