Cape Verde continued to defy expectations at the FIFA World Cup 2026 after holding two-time champions Uruguay to an entertaining 2-2 draw in Miami on Sunday, keeping alive hopes of a historic place in the knockout stages.
After earning a point against Spain in their tournament debut, the Blue Sharks once again showcased their character, moving onto two points in Group H with one match remaining against Saudi Arabia.
Pedro ‘Bubista’ Brito’s side struck first in spectacular fashion midway through the opening half. Kevin Pina etched his name into Cape Verdean football history when he unleashed a thunderous free-kick that beat Fernando Muslera and nestled in the bottom corner, becoming the nation’s first-ever scorer at a FIFA World Cup.
Maxi Araujo levelled with a diving header
The goal stunned Uruguay and briefly put Cape Verde on course for another famous result. However. Maxi Araujo levelled with a diving header in the 44th minute after Rodrigo Bentancur’s effort had struck the post, before Agustin Canobbio completed the turnaround in stoppage time to hand La Celeste a 2-1 lead at the interval.
Bubista introduced Hélio Varela just before the hour mark and the substitute made an immediate impact. Capitalising on a defensive error, Varela raced onto a loose ball and calmly slotted past Muslera with virtually his first touch to restore parity.
With confidence flowing once again, the Blue Sharks almost snatched a famous victory. Jamiro Monteiro fired narrowly over from distance before Laros Duarte tested Muslera late on.
Unbeaten after two matches and having already frustrated Spain and Uruguay, the Blue Sharks head into their final Group H encounter against Saudi Arabia knowing that another positive result could complete one of the most remarkable stories of the tournament.
