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Cape Verde continued their fairytale debut at the 2026 FIFA World Cup on Sunday, holding two-time champions Uruguay to a hard-fought 2-2 draw in Miami to keep their knockout-stage hopes alive.
After earning a shock goalless draw against Spain in their opening match, the Blue Sharks produced another spirited performance, becoming the first side from the island nation to score at a World Cup and taking a valuable point from one of South America’s traditional powerhouses.
Cape Verde struck first in the 21st minute when Kevin Pina etched his name into the country’s football history, firing home a superb long-range free-kick for Cape Verde’s first-ever World Cup goal.
The lead, however, lasted only until the closing stages of the first half. Uruguay responded through Maxi Araujo, who headed home the equaliser in the 44th minute after a defensive mix-up inside the Cape Verde box.
The South Americans then completed the turnaround deep into first-half stoppage time when Agustin Canobbio converted from close range after being set up by Araujo, giving Uruguay a 2-1 advantage at the break.
Cape Verde refused to surrender and continued to threaten on the counterattack. Their persistence paid off in the 61st minute when Uruguay defender Mathias Olivera misplaced a pass across his own penalty area. Hélio Varela reacted quickest, rounded the goalkeeper and calmly slotted into an empty net to restore parity.
Uruguay pushed for a winner and thought they had found one when Federico Valverde bundled the ball into the net late on, but the effort was ruled out for offside. Both sides created chances in the closing minutes, but neither could find the decisive third goal.
The result leaves Uruguay second in Group H and Cape Verde third, with both teams on two points after two matches. Spain’s victory over Saudi Arabia means qualification remains wide open heading into the final round of group fixtures.
For Cape Verde, another impressive display underlined why they have become one of the stories of the tournament. Having already frustrated Spain, they now have a realistic opportunity to reach the knockout stage if they secure a positive result against Saudi Arabia in their final group match.
Uruguay, meanwhile, head into a crucial clash against Spain still searching for their first win of the competition, knowing only a strong result may be enough to keep their World Cup campaign alive.
