Cape Verde’s surprise run continues with a 2-2 draw against Uruguay
Cape Verde’s surprise run continued as the World Cup debutants held Uruguay 2-2 in Miami, keeping Group H wide open.
MIAMI — Cape Verde’s surprise run continues with a 2-2 draw against Uruguay at Hard Rock Stadium, keeping the World Cup debutants unbeaten after two Group H matches in Florida on Monday WIB.
The Blue Sharks have now taken two points from two games, a return that looked unthinkable before the tournament began. They opened with a goalless draw against Spain, and this result against a South American heavyweight gave their campaign real weight. It also left Uruguay with work to do before the final round.
Kevin Lenini strikes first
Uruguay started with the clearer plan and the bigger share of the ball. Federico Valverde kept driving play forward, while La Celeste tried to pin Cape Verde deep and force mistakes in midfield.
But Cape Verde stayed compact. The back line dropped quickly, the midfield closed passing lanes, and Uruguay’s early pressure kept running into blue shirts.
Then came the opening blow. In the 21st minute, Kevin Lenini curled in a free kick that beat Fernando Muslera and sent Cape Verde into the lead. It was a sharp, clean finish from a dead-ball situation. It was also Cape Verde’s first goal at a World Cup finals.
That moment changed the noise inside the stadium. Cape Verde looked energized. Uruguay looked irritated.
Muslera, the experienced goalkeeper, had little chance once the ball bent past the wall and toward the corner. The goal gave Cape Verde a brief grip on the match, even as Uruguay kept the ball for long stretches.
Uruguay answers before halftime
Uruguay pushed harder as the first half wore on. Their patience eventually paid off in the 43rd minute, when Maximiliano Araujo finished a rebound after a Rodrigo Bentancur header caused chaos in the box.
That equaliser came from sustained pressure. Cape Verde had defended well for most of the half, but Uruguay finally found a crack.
And they struck again before the interval.
In first-half stoppage time, at 45+6 minutes, Araujo slipped a precise pass into the path of Agustin Canobio, who finished the move to put Uruguay 2-1 ahead. For a moment, it looked as if the match had swung decisively toward the favourites.
Cape Verde hit back after the break
Cape Verde did not fold. That mattered most.
After the restart, Bubista’s side pushed their defensive line higher and worked harder to block the supply into Valverde and Manuel Ugarte. Uruguay still looked more polished in possession, but the rhythm of the game changed. Their midfield had less room, and Cape Verde began to sense another opening.
It arrived in the 61st minute. Helio Varela read an errant pass from Uruguay’s back line, reached the loose ball first and finished calmly past Muslera to make it 2-2.
The equaliser turned the match into a fight again. Every duel mattered. Every clearance mattered. And neither side gave the other much space to breathe in the closing stages.
What the draw means in Group H
The result keeps Cape Verde in the mix for the knockout stage and deepens the sense that their run is no fluke. Two points from two games against Spain and Uruguay is a serious return for a team making its World Cup debut.
For Uruguay, the draw is a warning. They controlled more of the match, but control did not bring victory. Cape Verde made their chances count, and that is often the difference at this level.
Spain lead Group H with four points after beating Saudi Arabia 4-0 in the other fixture, which leaves the final round finely balanced. Cape Verde are set to face Saudi Arabia in Houston, while Uruguay meet Spain in Guadalajara in a match they now badly need to win.
Bubista said he was proud of his players after the final whistle. "We knew Uruguay are a team with a strong tradition, but we came here not to be just a participant. This point means a lot for the history of our football," the Cape Verde coach said at the post-match press conference.
Uruguay will now have to sort out their finishing before that meeting with Spain. Cape Verde, meanwhile, have already done something rare: they have scored their first World Cup goal, taken a point from Uruguay, and arrived at the final group match with two from two.
