Five Things We Learned from Uruguay 2-2 Cabo Verde

Five Things We Learned from Uruguay 2-2 Cabo Verde

Another thrilling Group H game played in Miami ended in another surprising result for Cabo Verde as they held on to draw 2-2 against Marcelo Bielsa's Uruguay.

Here are five things we learned from the clash.

1. A Formidable Effort

𝐂𝐀𝐏𝐄 𝐕𝐄𝐑𝐃𝐄’𝐒 𝐅𝐀𝐈𝐑𝐘𝐓𝐀𝐋𝐄 𝐂𝐎𝐍𝐓𝐈𝐍𝐔𝐄𝐒 𝐖𝐈𝐓𝐇 𝐀𝐍𝐎𝐓𝐇𝐄𝐑 𝐏𝐎𝐈𝐍𝐓 😍🇨🇻

Kevin Pina makes history by scoring Cape Verde’s first-ever World Cup goal in Roberto Carlos style 🚀

Maxi Araújo with ⚽➕🅰️, but Uruguay fail to get the win 🇺🇾

Hélio Varela… pic.twitter.com/rzLtqnjZwk

— 433 (@433) June 22, 2026

Cabo Verde came into this clash off the remarkable result of 0-0 against the European champions in Spain.

It was a result and performance from Cabo Verde's Vozinha that in particularly caught the eyes of fans all around the world. After picking up a clean sheet in their debut game, they came into tonight's clash clearly with a lot of confidence.

Following their opening goal and the first 44 minutes that they had also held Uruguay, it meant that the World Cup debutants had gone 134 minutes of World Cup football against Spain and Uruguay without conceding a goal - some effort.

2. Maxi Araujo Could Be THAT Guy

🇺🇾 Maxi Araújo brilha com grande atuação e é o cara do Uruguai no empate! 🌟
🇺🇾 Uruguai 2 x 2 Cabo Verde 🇨🇻

Dashscore 9.7 🔥🔥
⚽ 1 gol
🅰️ 1 assistência
🎯 12/16 passes certos (75% de precisão)
🔑 1 grande chance criada (3 passes decisivos)
📈 1.20 xG + xA (0.93 xG / 0.27… pic.twitter.com/0uKy5AifdM

— dashstats (@dashstatsbr) June 22, 2026

Following Cabo Verde's opener, it provided Uruguay with a very similar situation to that of their own opener against Saudi Arabia.

That time, it was Maxi Araujo who eventually found the goal which earned Uruguay a valuable point, and again tonight it was the Sporting CP man who made the difference in this game.

He was first on hand to finish off a superb move, by positioning himself in the perfect position to turn home from Rodrigo Bentancur's original header which came off the post.

Then just seven or so minutes later, he turned provider, cushioning down Manuel Ugarte cross down for Agustin Canobbio to slot home to give his side the lead.

Obviously it wasn't to be in the end for him and Uruguay, but his performance cannot be understated this evening.

3. What a Moment

CAPE VERDE LEAD AT THE WORLD CUP! 😮🇨🇻

Kevin Pina's free kick from distance puts the debutants ahead against two-time World Cup winners Uruguay! #FifaWorldCup pic.twitter.com/je1rAcdrvO

— BBC Sport (@BBCSport) June 21, 2026

After heroically holding off Spain for 90 minutes in matchday one while not creating too much for themselves, today they turned up to compete with Uruguay, and boy did they do just that.

After holding off some early La Celeste attacks and even building some half-chances of their own from time to time, their historic moment fell in the 20th minute, when they earned a free-kick from around 30 yards out.

Krasnodar's Kevin Pina stepped over the ball, and he sent it absolutely flying past Uruguay goalkeeper to send the Cabo Verdean fans into sheer pandemonium as they took their first ever lead at a World Cup in the process.

4. On the Back Foot No More

𝐂𝐚𝐩𝐞 𝐕𝐞𝐫𝐝𝐞 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐝𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐢𝐭 𝐚𝐠𝐚𝐢𝐧! 🇨🇻

The fairytale continues as Cape Verde picked up another point at the World Cup with an impressive 2-2 draw against Uruguay.

It wasn’t just the result that stood out, but the performance. Cape Verde played with real… pic.twitter.com/ujntUTwaxo

— Reptracker | Conor McEvoy (@reptracker) June 22, 2026

Moreover on the point of turning up to compete with Uruguay, Cabo Verde were outshot 27 to six against Spain, in comparison to being outshot 17 to 12 today.

They certainly had many more looks on goal, and half the time they also looked rather threatening. As expected, they didn't have much of the ball, but they certainly took advantage when they did have some, pouncing on mistakes and creating their own luck to secure another invaluable point.

Now, with a match against Saudi Arabia ready for them on Saturday morning, victory will certainly mean they will qualify as a top two nation, but a draw could also see them go through.

5. La Celeste on Brink of World Cup Elimination?

Uruguay en SERIOS problemas.

Necesitará ganarle a España para avanzar. Una derrota los dejaría prácticamente eliminados.

Selección que se rompió hace 2 años y confiaron en mantener a Bielsa. pic.twitter.com/A63fb26p54

— Joshúa Maya (@PlaysOfTheWeek) June 22, 2026

After all teams have now played two games, each Spain of course sit on top with four points, while Uruguay and Cabo Verde both reside on two points in second and third with La Celeste on top on goals scored, while Saudi sit on just the one point in last.

However, with just two points after two games, Uruguay are left with their hardest game last - European champions in Spain.

A loss will mean they finish on two points in third, which will mean they shall not have enough to qualify as one of the best third-place nations. A draw may be just enough, however, to see them advance, while an unlikely win will definitely see them progress - however, the win is looking unlikely.