Cape Verde’s historic World Cup advance after Uruguay slip

Cape Verde secured a place in the World Cup round of 16 on Friday night after a goalless draw with Saudi Arabia, while Uruguay’s 1‑0 defeat to Spain eliminated the South American side, setting up a knockout clash between Cape Verde and Argentina. After drawing their first two group matches, Cape Verde knew a further stalemate would keep their round‑of‑16 hopes alive. The first half against Saudi Arabia remained goalless, with Cape Verde the superior side but creating few clear chances. In the second half, Cape Verde continued to dominate while goalkeeper Vozinha faced several tests from Saudi Arabia. Former FC Groningen and Sparta Rotterdam midfielder Laros Duarte saw a 1‑0 opportunity fifteen minutes before full‑time, but Saudi goalkeeper Mohammed Al Owais denied him, and the match ended 0‑0, Cape Verde’s third draw of the tournament.

Muslera’s mistake hands Spain the lead at World Cup

Uruguay required at least a draw to stay in contention after two previous draws with Cape Verde and Saudi Arabia. Consequently, the clash against Spain became decisive, whereas Spain could secure the group win with a draw. Both teams generated chances in the first half, but it was Spain that broke the deadlock just before halftime. A low‑distance shot by Alex Baena appeared saved by Uruguay goalkeeper Fernando Muslera, whose subsequent blunder allowed Spain to take the lead.

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Uruguay coach Marcelo Bielsa responded by replacing Muslera at the break with former AZ goalkeeper Sergio Rochet. The second half saw Uruguay press for an equaliser, coming close to a penalty that was not awarded, and forward Agustin Canobbio received a red card for a hard foul near the end. Spain maintained their advantage to finish as group winners and will face either Austria or Algeria in the round of 16.