Defiant Cape Verde hold Uruguay to 2-2 draw in Miami thriller
MIAMI: Cape Verde put in another brilliant performance to hold Uruguay to a 2-2 draw in a Group H thriller on Sunday, backing up their goalless draw with Spain in their first ever World Cup match by defying a second footballing powerhouse. The Blue Sharks stunned the world by holding the European champions goalless on Monday but an even bigger upset looked on the cards when Kevin Pina gave the African side the lead in the 21st minute, sparking pandemonium at Miami Stadium. Goals from Maxi Araujo and Agustin Canobbio in the space of six minutes just before the break put Uruguay ahead at halftime but substitute Helio Varela pounced on a defensive mistake to level the scores around the hour mark. There were chances at both ends as the teams ran themselves into the ground pushing for a winner in a frenetic finish, but in the end it was the thousands of Cape Verdeans in the stadium who were celebrating their second World Cup point. A disconsolate Uruguay and their massed ranks of fans will move on to their final group game against Spain with their place in the knockout rounds far from assured. Uruguay started the game looking to quickly put behind them their disappointing 1-1 draw with Saudi Arabia but quickly got bogged down in a scrappy dogfight with the tenacious Cape Verdeans. Midfielder Federico Valverde screwed their best early chance across Vozinha’s goal and seven minutes later Uruguay were behind. Rodrigo Bentancur illegally stopped Telmo Arcanjo’s surging run through midfield and Pina struck a long-range free kick between the two men in the wall and past the diving Fernando Muslera for Cape Verde’s first World Cup goal. Cape Verde had promised more attacking intent than they showed against Spain and