Miami Gardens, Fla. — Cape Verde’s exceptional run in its inaugural World Cup shows no signs of slowing. The small island nation stunned Spain last week, and on Sunday, it achieved a 2-2 draw against Uruguay, a team with two World Cup titles under its belt.
Kevin Pina marked history by scoring Cape Verde’s first World Cup goal with a free kick, and Helio Varela’s equalizer further cemented their place as a surprising contender in the expanded 48-team tournament. The possibility of entering the knockout stage is now within reach.
Cape Verde’s coach, Pedro Leitão Brito, expressed through an interpreter that the team feels indebted to other small national teams striving for World Cup qualification. With two points gained alongside Uruguay in Group H, Cape Verde will face Saudi Arabia in their final group match, hopeful of advancing.
“We’re here to demonstrate resilience,” Brito added, emphasizing that even smaller teams with financial challenges can compete on an equal footing with larger teams and distinguished players.
The archipelago located off Africa’s West coast covers around 4,000 square kilometers and hosts nearly half a million residents, making it the World Cup’s third-smallest qualifying nation by population. Despite overwhelming support for Uruguay at Miami Stadium, Cape Verde’s players remained focused throughout the match.
Leitão Brito noted, “Once you’re on the pitch, a lot of things become equal.”
In a thrilling sequence, fans celebrated as Pina’s strike penetrated Uruguay’s wall, gaining Cape Verde a 1-0 advantage in the 21st minute. Although Uruguay scored twice late in the first half, Varela capitalized on a poor pass from Mathias Olivera to tie the game with his first international goal, a significant moment he described as a dream realized.
“Scoring my first goal for the national team on my World Cup debut is incredible. I have no words,” Varela commented in a FIFA-issued statement.
Amid disappointment among Uruguay players, coach Marcelo Bielsa acknowledged the costly organizational errors made during the match. Uruguay faces Spain next, requiring a strong performance to progress further.
Cape Verde’s goalkeeping star, Vozinha, continued to impress after previously thwarting Spain. With his mother attending Sunday’s match, the 40-year-old was among the first pair of starting goalies aged 40-plus in a World Cup match, including Uruguay’s Fernando Muslera.
Celebrating post-match, Vozinha waved to the crowd as Cape Verdean fans left the stadium in jubilant spirits. Defender Stopira emphasized teamwork and quality play as reasons behind their success.
“We believe, and we work very hard as a team. All the world can see we play very good, and we also have quality in the team. So now it’s on to the next game, and to try to reach the next one.”
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