Uruguay's crisis in the 2026 World Cup can no longer be considered a surprise. After equalizing in their debut against Saudi Arabia, the squad led by Marcelo Bielsa stumbled again, this time with a 2-2 draw against a combative Cape Verde, a result that leaves the Celeste in a delicate situation within Group H.

The African team once again showed that it is not willing to be a simple spectator in the World Cup and added a point of enormous value in Miami, where it even came close to starring in an even bigger surprise.

With just two units after two days, Uruguay will reach the last date forced to add against Spain to maintain its chances of advancing to the round of 32.

Cape Verde surprises again and punishes Uruguayan errors

The match began with a scenario that already seemed familiar to Uruguay. As happened against Saudi Arabia, the South American team struggled to control the match and ended up paying dearly for their defensive errors.

At 21 minutes, Kevin Pina wrote a memorable page for Cape Verdean football by scoring Cape Verde's first goal in a World Cup. A powerful long-distance shot found an open barrier and surprised Fernando Muslera to make it 1-0.

The score reflected the difficulties that the Uruguayan team once again showed, unable to impose conditions against an opponent who was disciplined and dangerous on the counterattacks.

Uruguay reacted before the break

When the situation began to get complicated, Uruguay found a quick response.

Maximiliano Araújo took advantage of a rebound inside the area to equalize the score in the final minutes of the first half and restore some peace to the Celeste.

Shortly after, already in added time, Agustín Canobbio completed the comeback with a shot that seemed to put the South Americans on the path to an essential victory for their World Cup aspirations.

The 2-1 score at half-time gave the impression that Uruguay had overcome the initial blow and had the game under control.

Another defensive error condemned the Celeste

However, the tranquility was short-lived.

In the second half, a loss of ball by Mathías Olivera, combined with a poor start by Fernando Muslera, allowed Hélio Varela to appear to score the final 2-2.

The score once again showed the defensive problems that have accompanied Uruguay during the first two days of the tournament.

From that moment on, Marcelo Bielsa's team took risks and advanced lines in search of victory, but found themselves with an increasingly tight defense and an opponent determined to protect the tie.

Uruguay arrives forced to the duel against Spain

The tie leaves Uruguay with just two points and in a compromised position within the group.

La Celeste will need to defeat Spain on matchday three to depend on itself in the fight for qualification. A draw could leave them pending other results, while a defeat would mean their elimination from the tournament.

The pressure increases for a team that arrived at the World Cup with high expectations and that, until now, has failed to reflect its potential on the field of play.

Cape Verde keeps the World Cup dream alive

While Uruguay accumulates doubts, Cape Verde continues to build one of the most striking stories of the group stage.

The team led by Pedro Leitao Brito “Bubista” once again competed on an equal footing against an international rival and will reach the final day undefeated.

His ability to resist pressure, take advantage of rival mistakes and maintain tactical order allowed him to add another positive result that keeps his chances of advancing to the next round intact.

The last date will define the destiny of both teams, but one thing was clear in Miami: Uruguay is forced to react and Cape Verde is no longer a surprise in the 2026 World Cup.