It was supposed to be a one-off. A fluke result against Spain on opening day. A cute story for the neutrals before the real contenders started flexing. But Cape Verde doesn’t seem to care about the script.
The island nation of 500,000 people did it again on matchday two, clawing back from a halftime deficit to draw 2-2 with two-time world champion Uruguay. Kevin Lenini smashed home the country’s first ever World Cup goal on a free kick that looked more like a rocket launch than a set piece. Uruguay responded with two quick goals and seemed to have things under control. But Cape Verde never panicked. They kept pressing, kept believing. And just after the hour mark, substitute Helio Varela pounced on a lazy Mathias Olivera backpass, nipped in, and fired home. The bench lost it. So did everyone back home.
Cape Verde now sits with two points from two matches against a European champion and a South American heavyweight. They have a real path to the knockout stage. Let that sink in.
Spain Looked Like Spain Again
After that shock draw, Luis de la Fuente made changes. Lamine Yamal started. Dani Olmo, Alex Baena, and Pedro Porro came in. And Spain put on a first-half clinic against Saudi Arabia that essentially ended the game inside 25 minutes. Yamal turned in a cross from Mikel Oyarzabal early, then Oyarzabal bagged two of his own in quick succession. It was 3-0 before anyone had time to blink. A bad own goal from Hassan Tambakti made it four after halftime, but honestly the game was over well before that. Spain controlled 75 percent possession and looked every bit the European champions people expected to see. This group is suddenly wide open.
Salah Still Carries Egypt
Egypt has never won a World Cup match. Nine previous attempts, zero wins. And when New Zealand scored early on matchday two, it felt like the same old story. But Mohamed Salah is not interested in the same old story. The 34-year-old drifted into the box, took a pass, and rolled it home with that trademark calm. It was his goal, his presence, his will that flipped the game. Mostafa Ziko had equalized just before Salah struck, and Salah later found Mahmoud Trezeguet off a set piece to make it 3-1. Egypt is now on four points and needs just a draw in its final group game to make the knockout stage for the first time in program history. For a nation that dominates African football but can’t seem to break through on the global stage, this feels different.
Belgium Is in Trouble
The Golden Generation is gone. What’s left is a team that can’t score and can’t seem to find an identity. Belgium drew 0-0 with Iran on matchday two following a draw with Egypt in the opener. Kevin De Bruyne and Romelu Lukaku looked like shells of themselves. Thibaut Courtois made a couple saves but he can’t score from his own box. Iran’s Alireza Beiranvand made a brilliant stop to preserve the draw and keep Belgium’s path complicated. Group G is still wide open, but Belgium needs a win against New Zealand in the final game just to advance. That wasn’t supposed to be the plan for a team that once sat No. 1 in the world rankings.
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