Cabo Verde vs Arabia Saudita: Copa del Mundo 2026

With that, here's the word on Cape Verde's miracle from Nick Ames in Houston:

For a few days at least, the Blue Sharks can scent Argentinian blood. What a scene they presented at the end after drawing for a third time and improbably, magnificently, qualifying from Group H as runners-up. Their players and head coach, Bubista, huddled round a mobile phone to watch the closing stages of Uruguay's defeat to Spain. They erupted en masse upon learning the outcome and can look ahead to a last-32 meeting with Lionel Messi and company in Miami. Messi's meeting with this World Cup's new cult hero, the goalkeeper Vozinha, could be one for the ages.

Read here, and thanks for following along with us for this historic occasion.

I've received two emails suggesting Scotland were eliminated from the Cup by Senegal's win. Not quite.

The confusion lies in the fact that Scotland fell to ninth in the table. They're still ninth and are guaranteed to finish ahead of Uruguay.

But two teams ahead of them, Croatia and Algeria, could fall behind them on goal difference if they lose their group finales, and they could still be in third place in their groups. That would put Scotland back up to eighth.

The other two groups:

• In Group K, if DR Congo and Uzbekistan draw – or if Uzbekistan win by less than four goals – the third place team will finish behind Scotland.

• Coming up in less than an hour, it's Group G, where Egypt and Belgium are the likely winners, and those results would leave Iran in third place with two points.

So … no. Scotland's not yet out of it. They need a lot of things to break their way, but individually, none of those results is unlikely.

Justin Kavanagh writes: “Well, the world's most popular footballer will grace the World Cup again next week. I wonder whether Messi will be able to put a goal by him.â€

Hee hee hee hee …

In other news: England have officially qualified for the knockout rounds, no matter how badly Panama beat them.

Shall we look at the third-place scenarios?

Group G: If Egypt (4 pts) beat Iran (2) and Belgium (2) beat New Zealand (1), Iran will be third with 2 pts. An Iranian win would complicate things. A draw would put Iran at 3 pts with a level goal difference, so they would slot in ahead of South Korea and Scotland if they end up in third.

Group J: If Austria and Algeria draw, they both advance – there's some interesting history of note there (see 1982). If Austria beat Algeria by two goals, that's more good news for Scotland.

Group K: A DR Congo-Uzbekistan draw would eliminate both teams. An Uzbekistan win would be too little too late unless they pile on the goals. DR Congo would almost certainly be third with a win and would advance.

Group L: Croatia-Ghana draw puts Croatia third with four points. A Croatia win puts Ghana third with four points. So the third-place teams will be hoping Croatia lose. They have a -1 goal difference, so a multi-goal loss would help Scotland.

Ordinarily, a 0-0 draw wouldn't yield such scenes of jubilation, but Cape Verde's players are all hugs and shouts while their blue-clad fans bounce in the stands.

For Saudi Arabia … many questions. Was the game plan to kick the ball around and wait for Cape Verde to make a catastrophic error?

Round of 32 matchup: Argentina vs. Cape Verde. Wonder who'll be favored.

It's all over for Uruguay, and Cape Verde can celebrate. No need to wait out all the third-place tiebreakers.

Also, the result helps Scotland. Not that it's likely to be enough.

Just a few seconds left in the other game to see if Cape Verde end up in second place.

90 min +5 Cape Verde break! Two on one, but the attack slows when it gets to Rodrigues. They recycle it, and Rodiguez puts it on a platter, but it's hit wide! The good news for Cape Verde – that's the end.

90 min +4 Saudi Arabia hit a hopeful ball into the box. Cleared, but Saudi Arabia have a throw, and they've shown they can throw it a mile.

90 min +3 Yellow card to Al-Buraikan for a needless foul at midfield. Cape Verde can kill some time setting up a free kick – actually, they'll kill more by bringing on Columbus Crew defender Steven Moreira for Wagner Pina, who had a standout performance.

90 min +2 CHANCE FOR SAUDI ARABIA. OK, maybe they do. Quick sequence of passes and a shot from just within the box. Vozinha nonchalantly stops it and leaves the ball at his feet.

90 min +2 Saudi Arabia have the ball and still have multiple players in their own half. Do they realize?

90 min +1 Rodrigues is making all sorts of errors. He once again concedes a goal kick to Saudi Arabia.

Only five minutes of stoppage time. Well, they haven't had any goal celebrations …

90 min Free kick to Cape Verde, and to be honest, I don't quite see why. May we see a replay please?

89 min Rodrigues with a rash attempt at a cross, yielding possession back to Saudi Arabia.

And they play the goal kick short. Where's the urgency?

88 min Saudi Arabia get a corner. Or not! VAR intervenes, and it's a goal kick.

They say 2-0 is the most dangerous lead in soccer. I'd argue 0-0 with a lead in the group standings is worse.

86 min How have Cape Verde not scored! They work it forward again, and there's a brave block from Al-Amri on Wagner Pina, and the rebound just doesn't fall where it can be played.

85 min Rodrigues with a good ball to da Costa, but the Saudi defenders reset.

85 min Da Costa works to beat two Saudi defenders and just about does it, but he's at an acute angle to shoot and opts not to pass.

84 min A drop from Al-Owais! But Cape Verde aren't quick enough to pounce on the error by the Saudi keeper.

83 min But maybe these subs are helping Saudi Arabia maintain possession, which they've done a good bit in the last five minutes.

82 min Tangle of bodies at midfield but no call – probably correctly so.

The final Saudi Arabia sub is coming on – and it's another player listed as a defender, Al-Harbi, coming on for Boushal. I believe Saudi Arabia have alleged forwards on the bench who will go unused as they chase the goal that would prolong their stay at this Cup.

80 min Ouch. Al-Hamdan with the foul as Cape Verde try to break the pressure.

The free kick is long and wayward, and Saudi Arabia will set up shop again.

79 min Rodrigues blasts the ball into the wall. No, it wasn't a free kick. He had three players in front of him and shot anyway.

78 min xG tally now: 1.13 to 0.24 in favor of Cape Verde.

76 min Corner to Saudi Arabia now.

Will Cape Verde rue these missed chances?

74 min HUGE CHANCE for Cape Verde on the counter. It's a big save by Al-Owais to stop Laros Duarte's 1-on-1 opportunity in the end. Corner to Cape Verde, headed just over the bar.

73 min Free kick to Saudi Arabia, and it drops from the air 8 yards from goal but is headed clear.

Then an extremely long throw-in from Saudi Arabia – must have covered 30 yards diagonally, and a near chance.

This half has belonged to the Blue Sharks, but in a game with these stakes, they're still one errant pass or defensive slip-up away from going out of the Cup.

Subs for Cape Verde: Monteiro and Mendes are out. Laros Duarte and Garry Rodrigues in. Those changes give me less confidence in the Cape Verde attack.

68 min The last kick before the hydration break is an errant cross from Kevin Pina.

66 min But Saudi Arabia get a chance right away, sending up a high shot that Vozinha honestly doesn't handle well.

Cape Verde counterattack, and the remaining Al-Dawsari (Nasser) gets a yellow card as he breaks up the run.

65 min As you were. Cape Verde pass around, just inside Saudi Arabia's half, and Saudi Arabia see no need to press.

Cape Verde play long and out of play.

Saudi Arabia subs: The captain, Salem Al-Dawsari, is out. So is Sultan Mandash. Now entering: Abdullah Al-Hamdan and Mohammed Abu Al-Shamat. Two midfielders out, replaced by a midfielder and a … defender?

64 min When the ball gets back to Vozinha, he seems to be the only Cape Verdean or neutral observer who isn't nervous. Another pass out of trouble, but only by an instant.

63 min Varela takes a tumble in the box after his first touch of the game, but there's nothing in it.

62 min Subs for Cape Verde, and it's a pity to see Willy Semedo go out. He has been, by some margin, the best player on the pitch. Livramento also goes out. Nuno da Costa and Hélio Varela, scorer of the tying goal vs. Uruguay, are in.

59 min Bad giveaway one way. Bad giveaway the other way. It's compelling because of the stakes, and Cape Verde look industrious at times, but this is not a game to show the extraterrestrials when they decide what to do with their new colony on Earth.

58 min Vozinha plays long. Saudi Arabia win it in the air but give it back again. Now they'll try to gain some control of the game. They need a goal.

56 min Willy Semedo earns a corner kick. The ball is partially cleared, and Cape Verde pass around again.

Deroy Duarte figures he'll give it a go and loops a shot from 25 yards but misses.