Spain Vs Cape Verde LIVE Score, FIFA World Cup 2026: Cucurella's Shot Flies Over Crosspiece

Marc Cucurella, celebrating his official move to Real Madrid today, nearly marked the occasion with a goal. The left-back connected cleanly with a volley from approximately 15 yards out, unleashing a powerful strike with his laces; however, the effort lacked the necessary accuracy and sailed over the crossbar.

Spain nearly carved out an opening through a deep, teasing cross from the right by Pedri, but the attack was thwarted by a crucial intervention from Lopes, who rose highest to clear the danger with a well-timed header. While the expectation remains that Spain will look to "pass their opponents to death" with intricate build-up play, this particular moment saw them attempt a more direct route to goal that ultimately yielded no result.

Spain is dominating possession early on, maintaining an incredibly high defensive line to suffocate Cape Verde in their own half. While this aggressive approach is designed to force an early breakthrough, it has left La Roja exposed to the counter-attack, offering Cape Verde a clear opportunity to exploit the space behind the defense with long balls. Despite the sustained pressure, Spain has yet to find their rhythm in the final third and is still searching for their first shot on goal.

The FIFA World Cup 2026 Group H opening match between Spain and Cabo Verde is currently underway at the Atlanta Stadium. The game has just kicked off, with referee Adham Makhadmeh overseeing the contest. Spain enters the tournament as one of the favorites, looking to build on their status as reigning European champions. For Cabo Verde, this match marks a historic milestone as the nation makes its debut on the world stage. Both teams are now beginning their campaigns in a group that also features Uruguay and Saudi Arabia

Spain head coach Luis de la Fuente has confirmed that Lamine Yamal is in "perfect condition" for Monday's World Cup opener against Cape Verde following his recovery from a hamstring injury, noting that "the doctors say Lamine can play tomorrow without any issues. Not to play 90 minutes, but to play some minutes, yes." While the team manages Yamal’s return alongside fellow fitness concerns Nico Williams and Victor Munoz, De la Fuente maintained that "they're all available, although some won't play the entire game," adding that "they could play, if we think the game demands it." Additionally, the manager dismissed concerns that ongoing transfer rumors surrounding Marc Cucurella would impact the defender’s performance, praising him as "one of the best left-backs in the world, without doubt" and stating, "If it's good news for Cucu, or someone else, we'll celebrate it."

Spain: Unai Simon, Marcos Llorente, Aymeric Laporte, Pau Cubarsi, Marc Cucurella, Fabian Ruiz, Gavi, Rodri, Pedri, Ferran Torres, Mikel Oyarzabal

Cape Verde: Vozinha, Diney Borges, Pico Lopes, Sidny Lopes Cabral, Steven Moreira, Kevin Pina, Jovane Cabral, Jamiro Monteiro, Laros Duarte, Dailon Livramento, Ryan Mendes

This is the first time Spain and Cape Verde will face each other. The expansion of the FIFA World Cup 2026 to 48 teams has given lesser-known teams a golden chance to showcase their talent on the world stage for the first time, and Cape Verde is one of the beneficiaries.

The FIFA World Cup 2026 will be telecast live on Unite8 Sports network on television. For live streaming, one can catch the action on the Zee5 app and website. The live action will begin at 9:30 pm IST (June 15).

• Location: Atlanta, Georgia, US

• Stadium: Atlanta Stadium

• Date: Monday, 15 June

• Kick-off Time: 15/06/2026 – 9:30 pm (IST)

• Referee: Adham Makhadmeh

Hello football fans! Forget Monday blues as we're back with the live coverage of another riveting World Cup clash between reigning European champions Spain and World Cup debutants Cape Verde at the Atlanta Stadium, Georgia on Monday, June 15. Stay tuned for the live score and real-time updates of the match.