MIAMI – Cape Verde has once again caused a surprise at the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The debutant held two-time world champions Uruguay to a spectacular 2-2 draw in Group H on Sunday evening and remains in the race for a place in the knockout phase.
The African island nation took an early lead thanks to Kevin Pina, who scored the first World Cup goal ever for Cape Verde with a beautiful free kick from a great distance. However, Uruguay responded strongly. Maxi Araújo brought the South Americans alongside and then provided the assist for Agustín Canobbio, who gave Uruguay a 2-1 lead before half time.
After the break, Cape Verde refused to accept defeat. Substitute Hélio Varela took advantage of a defensive error on the Uruguayan side and scored the equalizer. Despite a final offensive from Uruguay, the debutant remained upright and scored a valuable point.
For Cape Verde it is already the second notable result of this tournament. In the opening match, it also held favorites Spain to a goalless draw. With two draws from two matches, the World Cup newcomer still has his fate completely in his own hands.
The position in Group H therefore remains particularly exciting. Spain is in the lead after the 4-0 victory over Saudi Arabia, while Uruguay and Cape Verde are both on two points. On the final matchday, Uruguay will face Spain, while Cape Verde will face Saudi Arabia. All four countries still have a chance to advance to the next round.
For Uruguay, the draw feels like a missed opportunity. National coach Marcelo Bielsa’s team had hoped to take an important step towards qualification, but will now have to perform in the final match against Spain to avoid elimination. Cape Verde, on the other hand, continues to write the fairytale of this World Cup and has emerged as one of the surprises of the tournament.
