'Greatest feeling ever': Cape Verdeans tell BBC of joy at holding Spain to draw

It seemed a fitting phrase after the small country of about half a million people edged continental giants, Cameroon, to qualify for the World Cup for the first time in history.The squad came into the tournament as the underdogs, playing in group H against two former World Cup winning teams – Spain and Uruguay.To France-based visitor Pauline, Cape Verde's performance on Monday could be attributed to the fact that they "played with their hearts.""That's all that matters," she said. "I thought Spain was going to win the match, but the energy, the speed of Cape Verde was just amazing," added a Congolese supporter who was also visiting the islands for the first time.Many other foreigners were rooting for Cape Verde, the archipelago off the coast of West Africa whose idyllic beaches and landscapes attract about a million tourists every year.Across several neighbourhoods, the country's flags were hoisted on windows, balconies, and even on rooftops. Owners of several vehicles plying the streets rejoiced with symbolic honks and screams, most of them either waving the flag or hanging samples by their car windows.The national team's defensive campaign against a football behemoth such as Spain, raised the hopes of citizens that the squad may even make it beyond the group stage.