Uruguay 0-1 Cape Verde LIVE Score, FIFA World Cup 2026: Kevin Pina's Free-Kick Directly Finds Back Of The Net

Pina has etched his name into the history books as the first-ever player to score a goal for Cape Verde in the FIFA World Cup, and he did it in spectacular fashion. It is a landmark moment for the tournament debutants, who will forever remember this sensational long-range strike as the first chapter in their World Cup scoring record.

GOAL! Cape Verde have stunned the world again! Standing over 30 yards out, Pina took a bold gamble, unleashing a ferocious, low drive that sliced directly through the Uruguayan defensive wall. The sheer power of the strike left Fernando Muslera helpless as the ball arrowed into the bottom corner. After holding Spain to a draw, the "Blue Sharks" have now reached incredible new heights, leading the two-time world champions thanks to a piece of pure magic from their defensive midfielder.

Uruguay immediately turned defense into attack after snuffing out a rare Cape Verdean threat, surging forward with lightning pace. Agustín Canobbio found himself with time and space before threading a perfect ball across the box to an unmarked Federico Valverde; however, the Uruguayan captain let his side down in the finishing phase, lashing his left-footed strike wide of the far post.

Uruguay carved open the defense with a clinical, sweeping counter-attack that put Maxi Araújo through on goal, but the chance was thwarted by a perfectly timed sliding challenge from Lopes. While the Uruguayan players were quick to appeal for a penalty, the referee waved play on, deeming the tackle clean and awarding only a corner kick to La Celeste.

It’s an exciting start at Miami Stadium as Uruguay and Cabo Verde kick off their crucial Group H encounter! Both teams are looking to secure their first victory of the 2026 FIFA World Cup following opening-round draws.

Vozinha; Steven Moreira, Pico Lopes, Diney Borges, Sidny Cabral; Kevin Pina; Telmo Arcanjo, Ryan Mendes, Jamiro Monteiro, Garry Rodrigues; Gilson Benchimol

SUBS: Marcio Rosa, CJ dos Santos, Stopira, Logan Costa, Jovane Cabral, Joao Paulo, Deroy Duarte, Yannick Semedo, Willy Semedo, Dailon Livramento, Nuno da Costa, Wagner Pisa, Kelvin Pires, Helio Varela

Fernando Muslera; Guillermo Varela, Sebastian Caceres, Mathias Olivera, Juan Manuel Sanabria; Manuel Ugarte, Rodrigo Bentancur; Agustin Canobbio, Federico Valverde, Maxi Araujo; Federico Vinas

SUBS: Sergio Rochet, Santiago Mele, Jose Maria Gimenez, Nicolas de la Cruz, Darwin Nunez, Facundo Pellistri, Emiliano Martinez, Matias Vina, Brian Rodriguez, Rodrigo Aguirre, Joaquin Piquerez, Santiago Bueno, Rodrigo Zalazar

Uruguay opened their 2026 FIFA World Cup campaign with a hard-fought 1–1 draw against Saudi Arabia at Miami Stadium. La Celeste dominated the match with 63% possession and 27 shots, but they fell behind in the 41st minute when Saudi defender Abdulelah Al-Amri scored from a rebound after Fernando Muslera parried an initial header. Despite Uruguay's relentless second-half pressure, which included Manuel Ugarte hitting the woodwork, they were repeatedly frustrated by goalkeeper Mohammed Al-Owais until the 80th minute. Finally, Maxi Araújo broke the deadlock for Uruguay, pouncing on a loose ball following a header from Federico Viñas to salvage a point for Marcelo Bielsa's side.

In a historic tournament debut, Cabo Verde pulled off a stunning 0–0 draw against European champions Spain at Atlanta Stadium. Despite the vast disparity in pedigree, Cabo Verde’s "Blue Sharks" produced a masterclass in defensive organization, anchored by an inspired, Player-of-the-Match performance from 40-year-old goalkeeper Vozinha. Spain peppered the Cape Verdean goal with 27 attempts—their highest World Cup tally since 1966—but saw Ferran Torres strike the crossbar and multiple other efforts, including a header from Aymeric Laporte, thwarted by Vozinha’s saves. Cabo Verde’s disciplined backline held firm throughout the intense pressure, even managing occasional forays forward, to secure a result that marked one of the most memorable opening-round displays by a debutant nation.

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.

Spain secured a commanding 4-0 victory over Saudi Arabia in their Group H fixture, with Lamine Yamal and a Mikel Oyarzabal brace propelling them to their first win of the tournament. This result moves Spain to the top of the group standings with four points, while Saudi Arabia remains on one point after two matches.

Competition: FIFA World Cup 2026

Stage: Group Stage (Group H)

Kickoff Time: 6:00 PM local time (EDT) / 3:30 AM IST (June 22)

Venue: Miami Stadium (Hard Rock Stadium), Miami Gardens, Florida, USA

Referee: Espen Eskas

Greetings, we are back with our FIFA World Cup 2026 live blog as Uruguay and Cape Verde face-off in the Group H match. The action is about to begin, so stay tuned for all the live updates from Miami Stadium.