FIFA World Cup 2026: Cape Verde hold Uruguay to boost knockout hopes

MIAMI – Cape Verde on Monday continued their remarkable debut campaign at the FIFA World Cup 2026 by holding Uruguay to a thrilling 2-2 draw in a Group H encounter, strengthening their chances of advancing to the knockout stage. The African side, appearing in the FIFA World Cup for the first time, had already impressed by securing a goalless draw against Spain in their opening match. They followed it up with another resilient display against two-time world champions Uruguay. Cape Verde stunned their opponents in the 21st minute when Kevin Pina scored the nation’s first-ever FIFA World Cup goal, curling a superb long-range free-kick into the net to give his side the lead. Uruguay responded strongly before the break, turning the game around through goals from Maxi Araújo and Agustín Canobbio. The South Americans struck twice within six minutes to take a 2-1 advantage into halftime. Cape Verde, however, refused to surrender. Substitute Hélio Varela capitalised on a defensive error in the second half and calmly finished to restore parity. Both teams pressed for a winner in the closing stages, creating several scoring opportunities, but neither side was able to find the decisive goal as the match ended in a 2-2 draw. The result leaves Cape Verde unbeaten after two matches in Group H and keeps their hopes of reaching the Round of 32 firmly alive. The tournament newcomers will now focus on their final group-stage fixture against Saudi Arabia, while Uruguay are set to face Spain in a crucial match that could determine qualification for the knockout rounds. Cape Verde’s spirited performances have emerged as one of the early success stories of the FIFA World Cup 2026, with the underdogs proving capable of competing against some of the tournament’s strongest teams. England team equipment stolen ahead of FIFA World Cup 2026 preparations