Uruguay v Cape Verde
Play By Play
Well, just as we said a few days ago against Spain – what a result that is for Cape Verde!! They rallied once again in the second half to draw 2–2 with two-time World Cup winners Uruguay, coming back from 2–1 down in a hugely spirited display. Those late first-half goals from Araujo and Canobbio had turned the game on its head after Pina's piledriving free-kick, and La Celeste began the second period in similar fashion, producing 2.34 xG in total. However, the Blue Sharks were soon back on the attack themselves and saw Cabral and Monteiro both test the defence early on, before they were gift-wrapped a goal which threw everything back into the balance. Olivera's terrible sidewards pass drew Muslera well out of his box and into no-man's land, where Cape Verde substitute Helio Varela was on hand to seize the loose ball and tap it into an empty net for 2–2. Further openings followed as Cape Verde racked up 0.86 xG in total, with Monteiro, Pico Lopes and Laros Duarte each having chances to complete the comeback and seal what would surely be the biggest shock of this World Cup (and the rest). However, they also had to weather a storm at the other end, as Uruguay piled on the pressure in the latter stages and went close on several occasions, even seeing a goal ruled out for offside against Araujo. Rodriguez, Bentancur nor Valverde could take the chance to give Uruguay the late lead they so desperately craved, and La Celeste are forced to settle for a 2–2 draw which leaves their World Cup hopes hanging by a thread. A Spain side with renewed confidence awaits for Marcelo Bielsa's charges, who have just two points from six available thus far, while Cape Verde will take on Saudi Arabia, knowing that they may not even need to win and could still reach the last 32. After that performance though, you'd fancy Cape Verde's chances against almost anyone from here, wouldn't you?
FULL-TIME: URUGUAY 2–2 CAPE VERDE.
Da Costa drives down the right before being shunted to ground by Caceres, winning a last-gasp attacking free-kick which will give Cape Verde one more chance – if they're given the chance to take it... They aren't!
SAVED!! A long-range Cape Verde free-kick means another ambitious effort, and this time it's Laros Duarte who hits it, firing his low strike across the box and into the safety of Muslera's gloves!
CHANCE!! A game-saver for Uruguay!! They're at sixes and sevens in defence as Mendes plays the ball through for Varela on the break. He looks for Da Costa in the box, and despite getting there first, his heavy touch allows Bentancur to slide in and steer the ball behind for a corner with a perfectly-timed challenge!
SAVED!!! Muslera prevents an unthinkable Cape Verde winner! Mendes steps in-field from the right to find Laros Duarte, who turns in the box before drilling a low, left-footed effort straight into the Uruguay veteran's gloves!
Diney Borges is shown a retrospective yellow card from the referee, but Cape Verde will take those all day long from here.
WIDE!!! Nunez turns provider with a superb flick to send Canobbio racing in behind, but the winger is forced wide by the covering Pico Lopes and fires his shot high and wide of the near post!
CHANCE!!! What an opening for Uruguay!! A long pass from De la Cruz down the line is latched onto by Nunez, who leaves Lopes for dead as he bursts into the box and stands up Vozinha. The substitute sends a superb ball right across the face of goal, but Valverde can't quite get in front of Da Costa and fails to get on the end of it!
We're into the first of EIGHT added minutes at the Miami Stadium – Cape Verde will do all they can to hold on, but can Uruguay repeat their first-half heroics with another late goal here?
OVER!!!! Was that the definitive chance for Uruguay? De la Cruz is fouled right on the edge of Cape Verde's box by Semedo, winning a free-kick which is well within Valverde's range. The Uruguay captain steps up to strike it, but puts a touch too much power on the effort and sends the ball just a yard or so over Vozinha's crossbar!
Pico Lopes made 11 clearances against Spain, the most by a World Cup debutant for an African team since Tunisia’s Karim Haggui's 13 v Saudi Arabia in 2006. Lopes has been right in the thick of things once again here, as Cape Verde do everything they can to hold on.
BLOCKED!! Bentancur makes a darting near-post run to meet Rodriguez's left-sided corner with his head, but that's met by yet another Cape Verde block to steer the effort away from danger!
BLOCKED!! A potentially game-saving intervention for Cape Verde!! Valverde's throughball is only half-cleared and comes for Varela to play Canobbio in behind. His byline cutback is pushed out by Vozinha and comes straight to Rodriguez, but the substitute's goalbound strike is bravely blocked behind for a corner by Pico Lopes!
De la Cruz's clever ball around the corner is crossed in first-time by Canobbio, but it's an easy enough delivery for Vozinha to claim with confidence at his near post, continuing a quiet second half for the Uruguay goalscorer.
Despite having either scored or set up all of Uruguay's goals at this World Cup so far, Araujo is taken off late by Bielsa, with Brian Rodriguez keen to have a similar impact upon replacing him.
Monteiro has been one of Cape Verde's best, causing near-constant problems for Uruguay, but the number 10 comes off late for Yannick Semedo to further shore things up for the Blue Sharks.
OVER!! De la Cruz tries his luck from long range with a right-footed, 25-yard strike, but can only send it over the bar as Uruguay's frustrations continue!
Uruguay have options seemingly camped in and around the Cape Verdean box, but neither Sanabria, Nunez, Bentancur nor De la Cruz can get a shot away and the ball is cleared once more!
BLOCKED!! Cape Verde come out firing after the hydration break and win a corner off Araujo, which Pico Lopes attacks at the near post and sends a deflected header just wide of the mark!
Varela's equaliser for Cape Verde was the fastest goal scored by an African substitute at the World Cup (two minutes, 16 seconds) since Roger Milla netted for Cameroon against Russia in 1994 (one minute, 24 seconds).
The second-half hydration break is up and running in Miami, and it's one which Bielsa in particular will want to keep as brief as possible with his Uruguay side still needing to somehow find a win here.
Opening goalscorer Pina has continued to be rock-solid since sending that fantastic free-kick into the bottom corner, but comes off now for Laros Duarte to see the game out.
Nicolas de la Cruz will also come on for Ugarte in La Celeste's midfield, providing Uruguay with a greater attacking presence.
Darwin Nunez does enter the fray for Uruguay as Marcelo Bielsa rolls the dice in attack, with the Al Hilal striker replacing Vinas for the last 20 minutes.
