Goalkeeper Vozinha captured the world’s attention following his incredible seven-save shutout of heavyweight Spain that gave Cape Verde their first-ever point at the World Cup.
But following that performance, he revealed that the moment was bittersweet as his mother hadn’t been able to acquire a visa to witness it firsthand.
On Sunday, Vozinha saw his fortunes reverse, as his mother Evora was able to make the game — thanks in part to a social media effort to raise funds for her trip costs, which caught the eye of some U.S. politicians who were able to pull some strings.
The goalkeeper’s mom was shown on the Fox broadcast multiple times, confirming her attendance.
And yet, her son had a less impressive showing on the field, surrendering two goals to Uruguay as his team managed a tie for the second straight match.
To his credit, Vozinha rallied from a rough first half to pitch a second-half shutout, while his teammate Helio Varela bailed Cape Verde out with a tying strike at the 61st-minute mark.
