Uruguay had Sunday’s World Cup game right where it wanted it, then let it slip away. The South American side drew 2-2 with Cape Verde in Miami, a result that puts Uruguay under pressure before its final Group H match against Spain. Cape Verde scored first in the 21st minute when Kevin Pina hit a long free kick for the country’s first-ever World Cup goal.
Uruguay responded before halftime. Maxi Araújo tied the match, and Agustín Canobbio then put Uruguay ahead. But in the second half, a bad back pass from Mathías Olivera gave Cape Verde a chance, and Hélio Varela took it. His goal gave Cape Verde another surprising draw and left Uruguay frustrated.
The result hurts Uruguay because it turned a possible win into a much more difficult group situation. Spain beat Saudi Arabia 4-0 earlier in the day and now leads Group H with four points. Uruguay and Cape Verde each have two points. That means Uruguay now needs a strong result against Spain instead of going into the final match with more breathing room.
World Cup Results: June 21
| Group | Match | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Group F | Tunisia vs Japan | Japan 4, Tunisia 0 |
| Group H | Spain vs Saudi Arabia | Spain 4, Saudi Arabia 0 |
| Group G | Belgium vs Iran | Belgium 0, Iran 0 |
| Group H | Uruguay vs Cape Verde | Uruguay 2, Cape Verde 2 |
| Group G | New Zealand vs Egypt | Egypt 3, New Zealand 1 |
Elsewhere, Spain looked much better than it did in its opening match. Lamine Yamal scored early, and Mikel Oyarzabal added two goals before halftime as Spain cruised past Saudi Arabia. Belgium and Iran later played to a 0-0 draw in Los Angeles. Iran goalkeeper Alireza Beiranvand had the biggest moments of the match, especially after Belgium went down to 10 men.
Egypt finished the day with one of the best stories of the tournament so far, beating New Zealand 3-1 for its first World Cup win. Mohamed Salah scored the go-ahead goal and later set up Mahmoud Trezeguet’s late header. Mostafa Zico had started Egypt’s comeback earlier in the match. The win puts Egypt on top of Group G and leaves Belgium and Iran needing strong finishes.
For us here in Latin America, the World Cup picture is mixed at this point. Mexico and Brazil are in good shape after earlier wins. Paraguay helped itself with a win over Turkey and now has a clear path to the next round. Argentina plays Austria today, while Colombia and Panama play on Tuesday.
Uruguay is still alive, but Sunday’s draw changed the mood. Instead of controlling its own group with confidence, Uruguay now has to get something against Spain to make sure it moves on.
