Uruguay will look to strengthen their bid for a place in the 2026 FIFA World Cup knockout rounds when they face surprise package Cape Verde at Miami Stadium on Sunday.
Group H remains finely balanced after the opening round of matches, with all four teams sitting on one point. Uruguay currently occupy top spot following their 1-1 draw against Saudi Arabia, while Cape Verde stunned the football world by holding Spain to a scoreless draw in their first-ever World Cup match.
Despite entering the tournament as one of South America’s strongest contenders, Uruguay were far from convincing in their opener. Marcelo Bielsa’s men struggled to impose themselves against Saudi Arabia, producing little attacking threat from open play during a sluggish first half. Their most dangerous moments before the interval came from dead-ball situations, underlining their lack of creativity in the final third.
Bielsa attempted to spark an improvement with changes after the break, but Uruguay continued to labour for long spells and only began to look threatening in the closing stages. While qualification remains firmly within their grasp—especially with eight third-placed teams advancing to the knockout phase—the memory of their group-stage exit at the 2022 World Cup remains fresh enough to cause concern among supporters.
Standing opposite them will be a Cape Verde side riding a wave of confidence after producing one of the tournament’s most remarkable results. The World Cup newcomers frustrated Spain throughout 90 minutes to secure a historic point, overcoming what was the largest ranking disparity ever recorded in a World Cup match that failed to end in victory for the higher-ranked team, with Spain entering the contest ranked second in the world and Cape Verde 67th.
Much of the praise from that performance belonged to veteran goalkeeper Vozinha. The 40-year-old delivered a masterclass between the posts, making seven saves and claiming three crosses to preserve a famous clean sheet and cement his status as a national hero.
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However, Cape Verde’s defensive excellence did not emerge overnight. The Blue Sharks built their World Cup qualification campaign on a solid backline, registering seven clean sheets in 10 qualifying matches. Their resilience has become a defining characteristic of the team.
Although their recent winning streak ended against Spain, Cape Verde arrived at the tournament in impressive form. They had won their previous three matches, including a commanding 3-0 triumph over Serbia in May, a result that further highlighted their growing ability to compete with established football nations.
Prediction
Uruguay are expected to have too much quality for the tournament debutants and head into the match as clear favourites.
However, Cape Verde have already shown they are capable of frustrating elite opposition. Still, Uruguay’s superior depth and experience could prove decisive.
Betting tip
Uruguay 2-0 Cape Verde with odds of 1.42 on 1xbet.
Team news
Uruguay could once again be without defender Ronald Araujo. The centre-back suffered an injury shortly before the start of the tournament and missed the opening match against Saudi Arabia. He remains a major doubt heading into Sunday’s encounter.
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Player to watch
Cape Verde goalkeeper Vozinha will once again be central to his side’s hopes of another upset. The experienced shot-stopper produced a memorable display against Spain and may need to deliver another inspired performance.
Much will also depend on the contributions of central defensive duo Diney Borges and Roberto Lopes as they attempt to contain Uruguay’s attacking threats.
