Cape Verde keeper Vozinha delighted as mother gets World Cup visa

[p]The 40-year-old was Player ‌of the Match in [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/cape-verde/MocyWdm7/"]Cape Verde[/a]'s tournament opener on Tuesday after making a series of saves ‌to secure a stunning 0-0 draw with European champions [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/spain/bLyo6mco/"]Spain[/a] in ‌Atlanta.[/p][p]He was reduced to tears after the match, however, because his grandparents, who raised ‌him, had passed away and his mother, Ana Candida [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/vozinha/Q9F1vw7H/"]Evora[/a], had ‌been unable to witness his heroics in person because of the costs of getting a visa.[/p][p]The US State Department stepped in after his emotional post-match comments went viral and on ‌Tuesday confirmed that Evora had received approval to travel.[/p][p]The ⁠Blue Sharks play their second World ‌Cup group match on Sunday and Evora, who is on her way to the ​US from Cape Verde's capital Praia, will now be in the stands at Miami Stadium.[/p][p][b]"For me, this is very important because all ​my family always supports me in everything," Vozinha told reporters at the team's training camp.[/b][/p][p][b]"And to have her here, for me, it's something special. My ⁠father also is here, my ​brother, so I am very happy. I wish I could bring more, maybe my brothers and sisters and nephews, but I think sometimes it's difficult."[/b][/p][image alt="Ana Candida Evora starts her journey to the USA" id="fffe09d9-8206-4194-9ba7-bf5434f8c3c5" credit-line="Davidson Alves / Reuters" guid="95864a66-e2d3-4f09-bc14-38e544374a4d" original-width="3669" original-height="2589" /][p]Cape Verde was among dozens of countries whose citizens needed to post bonds of up to $15,000 ‌to enter the USA under President Donald Trump's sweeping immigration crackdown, but that requirement was later dropped for World Cup ticket holders.[/p][p]With a little help from a Brazilian TV station, Vozinha's performance in Atlanta boosted his following on Instagram from 50,000 before Tuesday's match to 13.7 million on Thursday.[/p][p]When asked whether it was all becoming a distraction for the squad, Cape Verde midfielder Deroy Duarte said everyone was delighted for their goalkeeper.[/p][p][b]"Vozinha is a very good guy," he said. "We're all happy for him. I think this one match ‌changed his life. So, no, it's more of a thing of happiness, and ​it shows what the World Cup can do, and I think ‌that's it. We're just happy for him."[/b][/p][p]The goalkeeper himself was happier to keep a lid on it all as the squad prepares to face another former World Cup-winning team in the shape of [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/uruguay/xMk44orG/"]Uruguay[/a] on Sunday.[/p][p][b]"We are here because of football," he said. "We are here because of the ⁠national team and because of ⁠the World Cup. So I'm very ‌grateful for everything, but please let's speak about football."[/b][/p][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/soccer/cape-verde-MocyWdm7/uruguay-xMk44orG/?mid=4pPp9nn3"]Follow Cape Verde's game against Uruguay with Flashscore.[/a][/p]