The Lisbon Nightmare

Can you believe what just happened in Lisbon? The Serbian national team, already stinging from missing the World Cup, didn't just stumble—they collapsed. A 3-0 thumping by Cape Verde national football team in a friendly match sent shockwaves through the Balkans. How does a team ranked 39th in the world get dismantled by a side sitting at 69th? The answer lies in a defensive display so porous it looked like sieves.

The disaster began early. In the 11th minute, Lenini finished a Mendesa assist to break the deadlock. Serbia, managed by Veljko Paunović, couldn't respond. Half-time came and went, and the second half brought substitutions that changed nothing. Duarte doubled the lead in the 59th minute. Benchimol sealed the fate four minutes later. The final whistle blew, leaving a stunned crowd and a battered reputation.

Media Fury: Where Is the Defense?

Back home, the reaction was instant and brutal. Serbian media didn't hold back. Kurir screamed, "WHERE IS THE DEFENSE? Cape Verde filled Serbia's net to the brim! Drafts blowing from all sides!" Blic called it a mercy it was only a friendly, warning Paunović faces a "mining job" ahead—hard, dirty, and thankless.

B92 declared it a "debacle," noting Cape Verde taught the "eagles" a harsh lesson. Nova.rs added salt to the wound: "Catastrophe in Lisbon and shame for the eagles: Cape Verde showed why we aren't at the World Cup." The message is clear: the rebuild starts now, and it won't be easy.