The Goalless Grind

Cape Verde and Saudi Arabia served up a riveting, pulse-pounding, edge-of-your-seat... wait, no they didn't. What transpired on the hallowed grounds of FIFA World Cup qualification was a 0-0 draw, a result so utterly devoid of excitement it might just be prescribed as a cure for insomnia. Fans, if there were any left awake, were treated to a masterclass in how to not score a goal, how to not create a chance, and how to generally ensure that everyone goes home feeling a little bit emptier inside.

For a match with FIFA World Cup stakes, you'd expect a modicum of ambition, a flicker of attacking intent. Instead, we got a ninety-minute exhibition of defensive solidity – not because the defenders were particularly brilliant, but because the forwards seemed to be operating under a strict "do not shoot" directive. Half-time brought no relief from the tedium, with the scoreline remaining a perfectly symmetrical, and utterly depressing, None-None.

Cape Verde, presumably keen to make a statement on the grand stage, seemed more interested in passing the ball sideways than actually threatening the Saudi goal. Their build-up play was as intricate as a politician's promise and just as effective. Saudi Arabia, on the other hand, showed flashes of... well, flashes of wearing green shirts. Their attempts to break the deadlock were about as convincing as my New Year's resolutions. It was a game where the biggest cheer was probably for the final whistle.

This result, a solitary point for each, does little to ignite either nation's World Cup dreams. For Saudi Arabia, who surely fancy themselves as regional contenders, dropping points against Cape Verde is a missed opportunity of EPIC proportions. They needed a statement win, a confidence booster, anything but this sterile stalemate. Cape Verde, while perhaps not expected to dominate, will still feel that a home draw where they created virtually nothing is hardly a stepping stone to global glory.

Both teams now face the uncomfortable truth that World Cup qualification is a cutthroat business, and games like this are the equivalent of sending a strongly worded letter when you needed to launch a missile. The road to the greatest show on Earth just got a whole lot longer, and a whole lot less entertaining, for everyone involved. What a truly unmemorable affair.