Iran played soccer on US soil shortly after both countries agreed the latest flimsy peace agreement between them, but in World Cup speak that pales in comparison to what took place inside the climate-controlled Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta.“So what was this?” asked Sid Lowe’s match report after Spain 0-0 Cape Verde. Chalk it down to Pico Lopes and a 40-year-old goalkeeper named Vozinha (Josimar Dias) refusing to budge, even after Spain manager Luis de la Fuente sent in his stars, Lamine Yamal and Nico Williams, to snatch victory from the jaws of humiliation.“This was wonderful,” Lowe answered. “An Atlantic archipelago of 600,000 people. A Shamrock Rovers centre back from Crumlin who had been found on LinkedIn. A goalkeeper from Portugal’s second division, another Josimar leaving his mark on the history of this competition and a million minds, to be talked about for generations. All of them." The Rovers skipper was the linchpin in a defence that weathered 23 shots and 11 corners, all the while conceding just the one foul, the fewest by any team at the World Cup since 1966. Pico Lopes beats Pedri to the ball during Cape Verde's 0-0 draw with Spain. Photograph: Ulrik Pedersen/NurPhoto via Getty Images Lopes stretched every sinew in his neck to head clear a looping cross in the first-half, but it was his body-on-the-line block from Mikel Oyarzabal’s 88th-minute shot that will stand the test of time.Diney Borges’s late header almost won it for the small island nation situated 600km off the west African coast. In a previous life, Roberto Lopes worked in the EBS in Blanchardstown as a cash teller. It was 2016 and he was straddling two realities, studying to become a mortgage advisor while keeping the football dream afloat in the Bohemians midfield.Enter Stephen Bradley. The young Shamrock Rovers manager not only enticed the Crumlin native to join Bohs’ Dublin rivals, he shaped Lopes into the defensive rock who went on to lead the Hoops to five Premier Division titles. And to think, back in 2018, Lopes dismissed the initial approach from the Cape Verde FA as spam. “When I say to him that football is tough, he says, ‘Dad, it is 11 men against 11 men’,” his father Carlos Lopes told The Irish Times before Spain were held scoreless.Onwards to Miami for Cape Verde and a cut off Uruguay on Sunday night, after Marcelo Bielsa’s side drew 1-1 with Saudi Arabia.Iran versus New Zealand passed without major incident in front of a crowd of 70,108 at the Los Angeles Stadium, finishing 2-2 after Motherwell’s Eli Just scored twice for the All Whites. Results: Group H - Spain 0 Cape Verde 0.Group G - Belgium 1 (Hany own goal 66) Egypt 1 (Ashour 19). Group H - Saudi Arabia 1 (Al-Amri 41) Uruguay 1 (Araújo 80). Group G - Iran 2 (Rezaeian 32, Mohebbi 64) New Zealand (Just 7, 54). Goal of the day: A belter by Egypt’s Emam Ashour evaded Real Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois at the Seattle Stadium. Alas, Ashour duffed a chance to make it 2-0 before Mohamed Hany‘s own goal salvaged a point for Belgium. Moment of the day: The long-suffering Tartan Army are having a blast since John McGinn’s goal put Haiti to the sword on Saturday night. Not satisfied with bringing their bagpipes to Foxborough, the home of NFL franchise the New England Patriots, at least 5,000 kilted Scots marched on Fenway Park, where the Boston Red Sox played the Texas Rangers, to leave an indelible impression on America’s original past-time. Picture of the day: Fans watch the World Cup 2026 match between Egypt and Belgium at a fan zone on Monday. Photograph: Mohamed Hossam/EPA Question of the day: Pico Lopes of Cape Verde is one of two League of Ireland players in the tournament, who is the other? Coming up today: Group I - France v Senegal (RTÉ2 & BBC1, 8pm), Iraq v Norway (RTÉ2 & BBC1, 11pm). Group J - Argentina v Algeria (RTÉ2 & UTV, 2am), Austria v Jordan (RTÉ2 & BBC1, 5am).Elsewhere in sport: In Gaelic football, Dublin’s do-or-die championship tie against Donegal has been confirmed for Croke Park this Sunday with a 1.15pm throw-in. Meanwhile, Stephen Rochford runs the rule over Kerry v Armagh in Killarney this Saturday. In advance of the URC final on Friday night, also at Croke Park, Gerry Thornley says Leinster’s appeal has fallen sharply due to entitled fans and big-stadium fatigue. Ouch. Answer to question: Joey Anang for Ghana (St Patrick’s Athletic).