Cape Verde’s Cinderella journey at the 2026 FIFA World Cup took another remarkable twist as the African island nation drew 2-2 with Uruguay in Group H at Miami Stadium, Yankee Scores reports.
That was Cape Verde’s second strong draw of the tournament after they drew 0-0 with Spain in their opening match.
Cabo Verde in dreamland after sub Hélio Valera brings them level vs. Uruguay ⚡ pic.twitter.com/cXqroRqPOw
— B/R Football (@brfootball) June 21, 2026
The Blue Sharks took the lead through Kevin Pina, who took a free kick won by Telmo Arcanjo, and Pina shot it through a gap in the wall from 34 yards out and into the bottom corner. That was Cape Verde’s first ever goal at a FIFA World Cup.
Uruguay answered before the interval as Maxi Araujo equalised in the 44th minute and Agustin Canobbio turned the match on its head deep into first-half stoppage time to put La Celeste in front at the break.
Cabo Verde are unbeaten at the #FIFAWorldCup 🇨🇻 pic.twitter.com/ZHIhfcNl1F
— FIFA World Cup (@FIFAWorldCup) June 22, 2026
But Cape Verde would not lie down. Helio Varela, a substitute, came off the bench to score his first international goal in the 61st minute to level the game.
It was also the fastest goal scored by an African substitute in World Cup history since Roger Milla for Cameroon against Russia in 1994, per ESPN
Four of Cape Verde’s 12 shots were on target, while Uruguay had two of their 17 efforts on target – a fact that tells its own story of La Celeste’s wastage in front of goal.
Both sides currently have two points in Group H with their World Cup futures still very much up in the air.
