The World Cup newcomers now have two points from two games and may just be positioning themselves to advance from the group
Group H has been turned upside down, with goalkeeping mistakes and relentless determination helping Cabo Verde deliver another stunner in a 2-2 draw against Uruguay on Saturday. After their wildly shocking draw with Spain, the Blue Sharks backed it up by scoring the first World Cup goals in their nation’s history. They now head into a decisive match against Saudi Arabia knowing a win could send them through, while even a draw might be enough depending on Uruguay’s final-day result against Spain under Marcelo Bielsa.
As the third-smallest nation ever to reach the World Cup, and drawn into a group featuring Spain and Uruguay, Cabo Verde were widely viewed as long shots to make any noise. But just 21 minutes into the match, midfielder Kevin Pina changed the conversation, squeezing a low free kick beneath Uruguayan goalkeeper Fernando Muslera to put his team in front.
Uruguay labored to find rhythm for much of the opening half before Maxi Araujo struck and then set up another goal just before the break, briefly suggesting Cabo Verde’s dream run might finally be fading. Instead, more uncertainty in goal opened the door after halftime, while Cabo Verde’s physical approach continued to unsettle Uruguay. Substitute Helio Varela needed only three minutes on the field to punish Muslera for being off his line and level the match. The response underlined the depth in Bubista’s squad, which has now battled for 90-plus minutes in both games and kept its hopes of advancing very much alive.
For Uruguay, ranked 16th in the FIFA standings, the result is a major setback and leaves them in danger of an early World Cup exit. Combined with outcomes like Curacao holding Ecuador to a draw, it is another reminder that even in an expanded 48-team tournament, no opponent can be overlooked and any team can be challenged on the right night.
