World Cup: Cape Verde advance, Uruguay eliminated
The final pair of matches in Group H in the World Cup were short on goals, but lacked little in terms of drama. Catch up on the latest from North America with our match recaps.
Cape Verde 0-0 Saudi Arabia
In Houston, the Tubarões Azuis played out another draw after having done the same against Uruguay and Spain, holding Saudi Arabia at bay in a tense affair. Former LOSC and Le Havre winner Ryan Mendes was in the eleven from the off alongside Willy Semedo, who spent two seasons with Grenoble in Ligue 2. Steven Moreira (ex- Lorient, Rennes and Toulouse) came off the bench, as did Nuno da Costa, late of SM Caen and RC Strasbourg, while Lens defender Saud Abdulhamid played 90 minutes for the Saudis.
In a dull match, the Saudis, needing a win to have a hope of advancing, were blunt, and while Cape Verde threatned on the counter on occasion, they were truthfully not much closer than their opponents to scoring. With the draw, Cape Verde will next face Argentina on Friday in Miami, while Saudi Arabia's tournament is over as they finished bottom of the group.
Fabian Ruiz: Calm. Class. Control. 🇪🇸
📸: @SEFutbol pic.twitter.com/GHbvBIqs8P— Ligue 1 English (@Ligue1_ENG) June 26, 2026
Uruguay 0-1 Spain
In Guadalajara, Mexico, the Albiceleste needed a result against Spain to have any hopes of advancing, but their hopes were dashed, with former Paris Saint-Germain midfielder Manuel Ugarte forced off through injury. For La Roja, Fabián Ruiz of Paris Saint-Germain came off the bench. Alex Baena scored the match's only goal just before the break, netting with a shot on the turn after a sloppy sequence of play that ultimately saw Fernando Muslera turn the ball into his own net.
Over the course of the match, Uruguay mustered just two shots on target, and will be frustrated not to have offered more of a riposte to the European champions. Spain will next take on an opponent to be determined in Los Angeles on Thursday, while Uruguay's tournament is over despite having finished in third place, their total of two points insufficient for them to secure one of the top eight spots in the ranking of third-place teams.
