FOR long spells of this absolute thriller, little Cape Verde appeared to be on the brink of something spectacular.
Kevin Pina had scored his country’s first ever World Cup goal in their debut tournament with a brilliant, 30-yard free-kick on 21 minutes which sparked scenes of celebration and disbelief here.
Sign up for the Football newsletter
Thank you!
Fernando Muslera was caught in no man’s land for Helio Varela’s 2-2 leveller Credit: AP
Kevin Pina gave Cape Verde a shock lead in the 21st minute Credit: AP
They were great value for the lead too.
The thousands of Uruguay fans in Miami were stunned into silence.
The camera panned to a very worried looking Luis Suarez in the stands.
Cape Verde, a country with a population smaller than Leeds, were doing a number on Marcelo Bielsa, one of Yorkshire’s adopted sons following his memorable Elland Road spell.
READ MORE ON THE WORLD CUP
AMERICAN DREAM
Great tale of lads who fled UK for ’86 Mexico World Cup & never came back
WORLDIE OFFERS
World Cup 2026 free bets and offers: Best new football sign-up deals
Every run the team in red made was lung-busting and full of purpose.
Uruguay had to respond – and eventually they did.
Yet it didn’t last after Helio Valera’s 61st minute leveller secured a very well deserved share of the spoils and, incredibly, Cape Verde still have a chance of reaching the last 32.
Uruguay – the two-time World Cup winners from South America – have serious talent in their ranks and by the time the first half ended, Bielsa’s boys were 2-1 ahead.
WORLD CUP 2026 FREE BETS AND SIGN UP OFFERS
Maxi Araujo headed in Uruguay’s equaliser to make it 1-1 Credit: Reuters
First Sporting Lisbon’s lively forward Maxi Araujo’s diving header after Sidny Lopes Cabral attempted a headed clearance which smacked against the post.
And then, just before the break, Manchester United’s Manuel Ugarte fed Araujo and Agustin Canobbio coolly slotted home to break Cape Verde hearts.
It was a hammer blow for the minnows who had been in World Cup dreamland after Pina’s wonder opener.
The midfielder stepped up and, as the Uruguay wall crumbled, Pina smashed the ball in beautifully.
Their lead was wiped out by the break.
Their spirit, however, wasn’t broken. Anything but.
Just after the hour mark, the pockets of Cape Verde fans were going crazy once again.
It was a horror moment from Bielsa’s side – a shocking back pass from Napoli’s Mathias Olivera and an equally poor decision by keeper Fernando Muslera allowed Valera to roll in a shock leveller.
Suddenly it was game on – again.
Jamiro Monteiro fired inches over as now it was Uruguay who were on the back foot.
CLICK ON PIC FOR STAR’S PROFILE
CLICK ON PIC FOR STAR’S PROFILE
Araujo had a goal chalked off for a very tight offside shortly after but this was an end-to-end slugfest.
The introduction of former Liverpool hitman Darwin Nunez, dropped after an anonymous display against Saudi Arabia last Monday, failed to stem the Cape Verde tide.
The final few minutes must have been agony for the thousands watching anxiously back home.
Canobbio ran clear and blasted wide but the minnows also had their moments. It was anyone’s game.
But, in the end, they settled for a memorable point after once again catapulting themselves into the hearts of millions of neutrals around the world following their brilliant draw against Spain in their first match on the grandest stage of all.
Perhaps this is what a bloated, 48-team World Cup is really all about.
Agustin Canobbio fired Uruguay into a lead they could not protect Credit: Getty
