Uruguay vs Cape Verde | 2026 FIFA World Cup Group H | Sunday, June 21 | 6PM EST | Hard Rock Stadium | Miami Gardens
Uruguay (-230) | Draw (+340) | Cape Verde (+750)
Over 2.5 Goals (+125) | Under 2.5 Goals (-155)
Uruguay -1.5 (+145) | Cape Verde +1.5 (-185)
Sunday evening, we see the world’s new favorite underdog take on Uruguay in Group H at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami. Cape Verde captured the world’s hearts when they held European champions Spain to an impossible-looking 0-0 in their opening game.
The Blue Sharks sat in a disciplined low block all evening with Vozinha the last line of defense. The 40-year-old delivered a vintage performance, pulling off seven saves including a point-blank stop on Oyarzabal and a full-stretch denial of Laporte just before the break. When Lamine Yamal came off the bench to inject attacking quality in the final stages, Cape Verde held their shape and kept their nerve to bank a historic point. “We knew we were playing against one of the best national teams in the world,” Vozinha said after being named Player of the Match, “but we also know our quality.”
Bielsa’s side were punished for a set-piece lapse when Al Amri converted a rebound to give Saudi Arabia a half-time lead, but Uruguay came out swinging — Ugarte’s effort from distance cannoned back off the woodwork before Araújo leveled with 10 minutes remaining, converting the follow-up after Owais spilled Viñas’s header. A point when it should have been three.
Cape Verde have already silenced one giant. Can they silence another?
URUGUAY TEAM NEWS
Ronald Araújo remains a doubt for Uruguay’s remaining group games after the Barcelona center-back suffered a calf tear that kept him out of the Saudi Arabia draw. Bielsa has accepted responsibility, admitting Araújo arrived for international duty with a minor muscle problem that worsened during training.
José María Giménez didn’t train Friday due to ankle pain. The Atlético Madrid defender was an unused substitute against Saudi Arabia and will be on the bench again if he’s cleared to play.
There is better news elsewhere in the squad, with Piquerez having returned to training after ankle ligament surgery and potentially available, while Matías Viña has fully recovered from a May adductor tear and is back in training.
Despite being pulled at half-time against Saudi Arabia, I think Darwin Núñez keeps his place leading the line. We’ll see Federico Valverde shift into a more central role at the expense of Federico Viñas, with Agustín Canobbio coming in on the right.
Uruguay Predicted Lineup 4-2-3-1
Manager: Marcelo Bielsa
GK: F. Muslera
RB: G. Varela | CB: S. Cáceres | CB: M. Olivera | LB: J. Sanabria
CM: M. Ugarte | CM: R. Bentancur
RM: A. Canobbio | AM: F. Valverde (C) | LM: M. Araújo
CF: D. Núñez
CAPE VERDE TEAM NEWS
Bubista has no reported injury concerns or suspensions heading into Sunday and is expected to name an unchanged side from the one that frustrated the pre-tournament favorites, Spain.
Left-back Sidny Lopes Cabral will need to produce a disciplined display after picking up a yellow card in the 16th minute against Spain. Another yellow card here will see him ruled out of their final group game against Saudi Arabia.
Cape Verde Predicted Lineup 4-1-4-1
Manager: Bubista
GK: Vozinha
RB: S. Moreira | CB: Pico | CB: Diney | LB: S. L. Cabral
DM: K. Lenini
RM: R. Mendes (C) | CM: J. Monteiro | CM: L. Duarte | LM: J. Cabral
CF: D. R. Livramento
MATCH BREAKDOWN
Cape Verde have already toppled one giant, but Marcelo Bielsa’s Uruguay are a different proposition entirely. For those of you who don’t know Bielsa, he is one of the most obsessive tactical minds in world football — so influential that Pep Guardiola traveled to Argentina in 2006, before he’d coached a single professional game, to discuss tactics and principles that helped shape his philosophy. Bielsa and his team will have dissected the Spain game frame by frame — Cape Verde’s defensive shape, the discipline of their low block and where the space might be found.
I think the hydration breaks will be a key factor in this match. These stoppages allow managers to deliver detailed tactical instructions to their team. When you compare Uruguay’s first and second half performances against Saudi Arabia you can see how good Bielsa is at making in-game adjustments.
Uruguay’s start against Saudi Arabia was sluggish and uninspired — 59% possession, five shots and 0.57 xG, with Darwin Núñez struggling to get involved. By halftime Bielsa had seen enough, hauling off Núñez and Matías Viña for Canobbio and Sanabria, shifting Valverde from the right to the center and having Federico Viñas lead the line. The response was emphatic — 1 goal, 22 shots, 75% possession, 12 corner kicks and 1.15 xG in the second half alone. It was a relentless barrage of attacking pressure and to their credit, Saudi Arabia held on for the draw.
Cape Verde must stay perfect from the first whistle to the last — because every break in play is another opportunity for Bielsa to unlock them.
THE BET
For those of you who don’t follow me on X (@AlexJBlowers), I’ve been posting picks for other games and recently hit three times on this Same Game Parlay (SGP) combination — First Half Moneyline and Team Total Goals Over 1.5 — cashing with Colombia (+117), Canada (-103) and USA (+171).
I really like this SGP for Uruguay. This is a must-win game and I refuse to believe Bielsa will allow a repeat of their first-half start against Saudi Arabia. Now that he’s had a full week to study Cape Verde frame by frame, he’ll have his side set up to take control, dominate possession and test Vozinha from the opening whistle.
With all due respect to Cape Verde, every dog has his day — and theirs was that 0-0 against Spain, a scoreline DraftKings had priced at 40-to-1 in their correct score market. The chances of pulling off something similar two games in a row are even lower.
Back Uruguay to score by halftime, grab three points and set up a showdown with Spain for top spot.
Pick: Same Game Parlay Uruguay First Half Moneyline +100 and Uruguay Team Total Goals Over 1.5 (-135) = +152
