France, Feb. 2 -- History beckons for Cape Verde on Saturday night in Yamoussoukro when a team from the archipelago of islands in the Atlantic Ocean attempts to reach the semi-finals at the Africa Cup of Nations for the first time.

Success would eclipse the pioneers who advanced to the last eight during an inaugural appearance at the tournament in 2013.

Back then they were undone 2-0 by a more savvy Ghana side. Two years later they went out at the group stages after drawing all three of their games.

Absent from the 2017 and 2019 competitions, they returned in 2021 in Cameroon where they fell to eventual champions Senegal in the last-16.

Eleven years on from that initial Cup of Nations adventure, they snatched a late win over an implod...