Cape Verde hold Uruguay as World Cup surprise grows

Cape Verde earned a 2-2 draw against Uruguay in the World Cup group stage, extending an unexpectedly strong debut tournament. Kevin Pina scored the country’s first World Cup goal, and Hélio Varela later rescued the point with an equalizer.

Uruguay had recovered from Pina’s free-kick opener through goals from Maxi Araújo and Agustín Canobbio before halftime. But Varela, who had only recently entered the match, punished Fernando Muslera’s positioning in the second half to bring Cape Verde level.

The result leaves Cape Verde with a genuine chance to push toward the knockout stage after already taking points from Spain in their opening match. Coach Pedro Leitão Brito framed the performance as a statement for smaller football nations, while Uruguay coach Marcelo Bielsa accepted responsibility for errors that proved costly.

Beyond the scoreline, Cape Verde’s run is becoming one of the early stories of the expanded tournament. Goalkeeper Vozinha, already praised after the Spain match, had his mother in attendance after she missed the opener because of visa issues.