Cape Verde Stun Again, Battle Uruguay to 2-2 Draw
- Ronan Briscoe
- Jun 25
- 3 min read
Credit Matias J. Ocner/Miami Herald
NATIONAL SOCCER NEWS: www.nationalsoccernetwork.com
Last week in Atlanta, Cape Verdean goalkeeper Vozinha wrote himself into the annals of World Cup lore with a heroic performance to preserve a 0-0 draw with Spain. On Sunday in Miami, the rest of his team joined him.
For the second time in as many games, World Cup debutants Cape Verde have earned a point following a well-fought draw with a former champion, this time South American giants Uruguay.
On a hot and muggy day in South Florida, it would be Cape Verde's Kevin Pina lashing in an absolute laser of a direct free kick from over 30 yards out to open the scoring in the 21st minute. However, Uruguay took this as a challenge, striking first off a header from Maxi Araújo in the 44th minute, and then again through Agustín Canobbio with the final kick of the first half in the sixth minute of stoppage time.
Coming out of the break, things looked to be heading in a roughly similar direction as the end of the first half, before Hélio Varela, with quite literally his very first touch of the ball after coming on as a substitute, to get past the Uruguayan keeper Fernando Muslera and tap home the equalizer in the 61st minute.
Uruguay then grabbed back control, and thought they'd found a third through Araújo, only for the goal to be disallowed for offside in the 68th. Increasing pressure mounted from Uruguay, only for it to be repelled at every opportunity by the Cape Verdean defense.
In the end, after a flurry of Uruguayan chances late, it was Cape Verde who had the last say, creating two very clear chances in the final moments. However, the scoreline remained as it was following Varela's equalizer, and the final whistle blew on a 2-2 draw.
There's no sugarcoating it. Cape Verde have become the best story in sports. Expected by everyone to be cannon fodder for the two giants they've faced, the island archipelago nation of 525,000 have already ensured they will never be forgotten, and it could get even better.
As things stand, Cape Verde sit in third, but crucially, as the fourth-best third-placed team. Eight third-placed teams will qualify for the Round of 32, and with only one game left against Saudi Arabia, Cape Verde is in the previously unthinkable position of qualifying for the knockout stages.
For Uruguay, to call these first two games a missed opportunity would be an understatement. When Cape Verde held Spain to a point, everything was there for Uruguay to take control of the group with theoretically favorable matchups against Cape Verde and Saudi Arabia, only for the two-time champions to draw both fixtures.
Marcelo Bielsa's side is now at risk of finishing third, which comes with significantly more difficult knockout opposition. Regardless the result in their final group game, expectations are now significantly lower than they were entering the tournament. This has to be regarded as a small failure for Uruguay.
Next up for Cape Verde is a date with Saudi Arabia on Friday, June 26th in Houston, while Uruguay will simultaneously face Spain in Guadalajara.
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