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Cape Verde advances to World Cup knockouts after draw with Saudi Arabia

Yahoo Sports • 1 min read • Latest: Jun 27, 2026, 2:10 AM

Last updated Jun 27, 2026

Cape Verde advances to World Cup knockouts after draw with Saudi Arabia

Summary

Cape Verde secured a place in the World Cup knockout stage by holding Saudi Arabia to a goalless draw on June 27 in Houston. Despite two missed opportunities, Cape Verde's resilient defense marked them as the smallest nation ever to reach the round of 32, following Uruguay's elimination after losing to Spain. The match featured few clear-cut chances, with Cape Verde's standout player being goalkeeper Vozinha, who made crucial saves. They will face defending champions Argentina in the next round.

Source Links

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By the Numbers

•Cape Verde draws with Saudi Arabia, advancing to the knockout stage.
•Vozinha made key saves to preserve the clean sheet.
•Cape Verde is the smallest nation to reach the World Cup knockouts.
•Uruguay's defeat means they exit the tournament.
•Cape Verde will play Argentina in their next match.

Latest Updates

6:55 PMYahoo Sports — Cape Verde, Bosnia-Herzegovina among smallest ever to reach knockouts
3:13 AMYahoo Sports — Cape Verde's magical World Cup run continues after draw with Saudi Arabia. Next up? Lionel Messi and Argentina
2:10 AMYahoo Sports — Cape Verde become smallest nation to reach World Cup knockouts after draw with Saudi Arabia

What they're saying

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Ollie Whitmore, Chief football news reporterCape Verde became the smallest nation to ever qualify for the World Cup knockout stages following a resistant performance to hold Saudi Arabia to a goalless...
— Yahoo Sports