Cape Verde’s third draw offers them second-place end in Group H and pits them in opposition to world champions in knockouts.
Revealed On 27 Jun 2026
World Cup debutants Cape Verde will face reigning champions Argentina within the knockout rounds after drawing 0-0 with Saudi Arabia to increase their fairytale journey.
The stalemate in Houston and Spain’s 1-0 win over Uruguay, each on Friday, meant the workforce ranked 67th coming into the event completed runners-up behind Spain in Group H.
Unbeaten of their three group matches, the archipelago nation of simply over 500,000 will play Lionel Messi’s Argentina in Miami on July 3 in one other chapter of their exceptional story.
Spain, held 0-0 by Cape Verde within the first spherical of video games, completed with seven factors, with the debutants on three and Uruguay and Saudi Arabia each on their approach residence with two.
Spain face the workforce that comes second in Group J, which will probably be both Algeria or Austria.
With historical past beckoning, Cape Verde coach Bubista modified half his beginning aspect, a few of it enforced, however retained his heroic goalkeeper Vozinha.
The 40-year-old stopper single-handedly saved Cape Verde in it as they held out for a well-known level in opposition to European champions Spain of their first-ever World Cup match.
Cape Verde, which is off the west coast of Africa, then claimed a courageous 2-2 draw with two-time former champions Uruguay.
That gave them a scarcely plausible shot on the knockout rounds coming into the encounter in opposition to Saudi Arabia, who themselves had been nonetheless alive.
On the identical time, in Guadalajara, Spain and Uruguay met as an unexpectedly tight group that went all the way down to the wire.
Cape Verde had barely the higher of the primary half in Houston in opposition to a Saudi aspect who drew 1-1 with Uruguay earlier than being thrashed 4-0 by Spain.
The Saudis suffered a blow within the thirty third minute when skilled defender Hassan al-Tambakti was stretchered off injured.
Spain took the lead in direction of the top of the primary half in Mexico, the information greeted by cheers from Cape Verde followers in Houston.
Willy Semedo fired not too far extensive of the Saudi submit, however neither aspect critically threatened in a tense first half.
At that time, Cape Verde had been going by means of at Uruguay’s expense.
Three minutes after the break, Jamiro Monteiro had a serious probability from shut vary, however his end was weak. Then Kevin Pina had an effort from distance that whistled simply off beam.
The strain went up a notch as they entered the ultimate quarter, however Saudi Arabia had been unusually missing in invention although they had been chasing the sport.
Within the seventy fifth minute, goalkeeper Mohammed al-Owais saved them in it with an important cease from Laros Duarte.
A degree was sufficient for Cape Verde, but when something, they had been the extra prone to rating because the match ticked into the dying minutes.
