Cape Verde continued their fairytale debut at the 2026 FIFA World Cup after securing a historic place in the Round of 32 without losing a single group-stage match.
The Blue Sharks played out a goalless draw against Saudi Arabia in Houston to finish second in Group H with five points. Their impressive campaign saw them draw all three of their group matches, including stalemates against Spain and Saudi Arabia, as well as an entertaining 2-2 draw with Uruguay.
Cape Verde’s qualification was confirmed after Spain defeated Uruguay 1-0 in Guadalajara, ensuring the African side advanced to the knockout stage.
Despite creating several late chances through Laros Duarte, Pina and Garry Rodrigues, Cape Verde could not find a winning goal against Saudi Arabia. However, their disciplined defensive display proved enough to secure an unbeaten passage into the next round, where they will face Lionel Messi’s Argentina.
Spain Eliminate Uruguay
Spain finished top of Group H after edging Uruguay 1-0 in a tightly contested encounter in Guadalajara.
The match was largely scrappy, with both teams struggling to create meaningful opportunities. Uruguay managed only two shots on target, both coming in the closing stages, as they bowed out of the tournament following earlier draws against Saudi Arabia and Cape Verde.
The defeat marked another disappointing group-stage exit for the South American nation.
Belgium Cruise Into Knockout Stage
Belgium booked their place in the Round of 32 with an emphatic 5-1 victory over New Zealand in Vancouver.
Leandro Trossard scored twice before Kevin De Bruyne, Romelu Lukaku and Jeremy Doku also got on the scoresheet to hand the Red Devils their first win of the tournament after opening with two consecutive draws.
Elijah Just netted New Zealand’s consolation goal, but Belgium remained dominant throughout the contest to finish top of Group G on goal difference.
The victory earned Belgium a knockout clash against one of the tournament’s best third-placed teams.
Egypt Progress After Iran Draw
Egypt also secured qualification after playing out a 1-1 draw with Iran in Seattle.
The result was enough to send the Pharaohs into the knockout rounds, while the match attracted attention off the pitch due to Pride-themed displays inside the stadium during Seattle’s designated Pride Match.
Dembélé Hat-Trick Inspires France
France sealed top spot in Group I with a convincing 4-1 victory over Norway in Boston.
Ousmane Dembélé produced a stunning first-half hat-trick to put the French firmly in control. Norway, who rested several key players including Erling Haaland and Martin Ødegaard, struggled to cope with France’s attacking quality.
Thelo Aasgard pulled one back for Norway, but goalkeeper Mike Maignan denied Jorgen Strand Larsen from the penalty spot before Désiré Doué added a late fourth goal to complete an impressive performance.
Senegal Keep Knockout Hopes Alive
Senegal boosted their chances of reaching the Round of 32 with a dominant 5-0 victory over Iraq.
Habib Diarra opened the scoring before Iraq were reduced to 10 men after Rebin Sulaka was sent off following a VAR review for denying Sadio Mané a clear goalscoring opportunity.
The Lions of Teranga took full advantage in the second half, with Ismaïla Sarr scoring his third goal of the tournament. Substitute Pape Gueye added two spectacular long-range strikes before Iliman Ndiaye completed the rout.
The victory saw Senegal finish third in Group I, keeping alive their hopes of progressing as one of the tournament’s best third-placed teams, while Iraq exited the competition without registering a point.
READ ALSO:
- Makinde: Nigeria Is Rich In Resources But Poor In Ideas
- Lagos Raises N445bn Through Capital Market To Fund Infrastructure Projects
- EFCC, Australian Police Partner To Fight Cybercrime
- Governor Dauda Lawal Approves Recruitment of Technical Staff for Zamfara Internal Revenue Service
- 30 States Approve State Police Bill As National Assembly Sends Bill To Tinubu
