Miami Gardens, June 22: World Cup debutants Cape Verde continued their remarkable run at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, holding two-time champions Uruguay to a 2-2 draw in Group H and boosting their hopes of reaching the knockout stage.
After earning a shock goalless draw against Spain in their opening match, the tiny island nation produced another spirited display on Sunday, coming from behind to secure a valuable point.
Cape Verde took the lead in the 21st minute when Kevin Pina curled in a superb free-kick, marking the country’s first-ever World Cup goal. Uruguay responded before halftime through Maxi Araujo and Agustin Canobbio, who scored in quick succession to give La Celeste a 2-1 advantage.
However, Cape Verde refused to back down. Helio Varela, making an impact after coming off the bench, capitalised on a defensive error by Mathias Olivera and calmly slotted home the equaliser in the second half to earn his side a deserved draw.The result leaves Cape Verde and Uruguay level on two points in Group H heading into their final group-stage fixtures. Cape Verde will face Saudi Arabia, while Uruguay take on Spain in a must-win encounter.
Cape Verde coach Pedro Leitao Brito hailed his team’s achievement, saying their performances prove that smaller nations can compete with football’s traditional powers despite limited resources.Uruguay coach Marcelo Bielsa admitted his side paid a heavy price for defensive mistakes and rued missed opportunities late in the match that could have secured victory.
The match also featured a unique milestone, with both starting goalkeepers aged over 40. Cape Verde’s veteran goalkeeper Vozinha once again impressed between the posts, while Uruguay’s Fernando Muslera made his 18th World Cup appearance.
With two impressive results against Spain and Uruguay, Cape Verde have emerged as one of the biggest surprise packages of the tournament and remain firmly in contention for a place in the knockout rounds. (AP)
