Cape Verde Snatches Second Draw Against Uruguay and Stays in Contention for Round of 16

Cape Verde has once again resisted a former world champion: the Blue Sharks snatched a draw against Uruguay (2-2) in their second match of the 2026 World Cup, after already holding Spain to a stalemate (0-0) at the start of the group.

The Cape Verdeans had made a strong start to the match. In the 21st minute, Kevin Lenini opened the scoring with a magnificent long-range free kick, giving Cape Verde its first lead in this competition. But Uruguay turned the tables before half-time: Maxi Araujo equalized with a diving header after a Cabra post, then Augustin Canobbio doubled the lead in first-half stoppage time with a right-footed finish.

Trailing for the first time in their World Cup, Marcelo Bielsa’s men seemed on the verge of taking control. But they hadn’t counted on Helio Varela, who had come on three minutes earlier. The Maccabi Tel Aviv striker capitalized on a serious miscommunication between Fernando Muslera and Mathias Olivera to equalize and hand Cape Verde a second precious point.

Despite Uruguayan pressure late in the match, the 63rd-ranked nation on the FIFA rankings held firm. The record speaks for itself: two matches, two draws, zero defeats, against Spain and Uruguay combined. The Cape Verdeans approach their final group match against Saudi Arabia on Friday with a chance to play for a historic qualification to the round of 16. A victory would secure them second place in the group; a draw could be enough if Spain beats Uruguay.