The World Cup is full of surprises. Few have ever been bigger than the one that opened Monday’s action.
Cabo Verde, a nation of about 530,000 people, earned a stunning scoreless draw against World Cup favorites Spain on Monday.
There is nothing like the World Cup. Nothing. Below, we’ll break down the day’s results and updated standings after one of the most remarkable results in the long history of this event.
Saudi Arabia 1, Uruguay 1
France vs. Senegal, 3 p.m. ET
Iraq vs. Norway, 6 p.m. ET
Argentina vs. Algeria, 9 p.m. ET
Austria vs. Jordan, 12 a.m. ET.
Iran and New Zealand Draw Even in Thriller
Iran and New Zealand put the finishing touches on a stunning day of World Cup action with a 2-2 draw. It marked the first time since 1958 that four World Cup matches ended in draws on the same exact day.
Despite the even score, there was no shortage of action in this one.
The first half was wide open with both teams creating chances and not hesitating to attack. New Zealand struck first in the seventh minute when Elijah Just settled the ball and buried it in the top of the net, while Iran bounced back before halftime when Ramin Rezaeian flicked it right past goalkeeper Max Crocombe in the 32nd minute.
Iran also appeared to take the lead shortly before halftime, but their goal was called back for offside.
Given the overall pace of the game, it was anything but a surprise it didn’t long into the second half for a goal. Just scored a brace with his second of the game off a give-and-go in the 54th minute, but it took Iran all of 10 minutes to equalize.
That goal, which was the game’s final one, happened on a Mohammad Mohebbi header off a beautiful feed.
From there, both defenses settled down and prevented either side from earning a late win.
Uruguay and Saudi Arabia Play to Day’s Third Draw
The final score of the Group H contest between Uruguay and Saudi Arabia was 1-1, but it wouldn’t have even been close without Mohammed Al-Owais.
The Saudi Arabia goalkeeper was brilliant during a second half of constant pressure and preserved a point for his side with nine saves. Uruguay finished with 28 total shots and 10 on target compared to just seven total shots and three on target for Saudi Arabia, but it didn’t matter with Al-Owais in net.
Saudi Arabia actually took the lead in the first half when Abdulelah Al-Amri broke the scoreless tie in the 41st minute with a goal on a set-piece corner kick.
Yet that 1-0 halftime advantage led to plenty of urgency from Uruguay’s side and a second half defined by offensive pressure and golden opportunities. Still, they hit the post on one and struggled to find ways past Al-Owais.
It was just a matter of time, though, before Uruguay connected, and Maxi Araújo finally broke through with the equalizer in the 80th minute. It could have been 4-1 or 5-1 at that point were it not for Al-Owais, but Uruguay didn’t stop there and continued the pressure until the final whistle.
They couldn’t add a second one, and now all four teams in Group H have a single point after multiple draws on Monday.
Nothing Separates Belgium and Egypt
Emam Ashour’s 16th-minute goal gave Egypt an early lead but it couldn’t keep Belgium from fighting back, as Mohamed Hany’s own-goal in the 66th minute drew the countries even in Monday’s 1-1 draw.
Romelu Lukaku won’t be credited for the goal, but his substitution just moments prior—and the pressure he put on Egypt’s back line—directly contributed to the equalizer.
This was a fairly even match. Belgium held 54 percent possession, had an xG advantage of 1.31 to 1.07 and narrowly out-shot Egypt 15-14 (3-3 on goal). The two favorites in Group G looked the part on Monday.
Cabo Verde Hold Spain to a Scoreless Draw
Spain held 74 percent possession, attempted 27 shots (seven on goal), won 11 corners and had an xG (expected goals) of 2.29.
Spain was held to a scoreless draw.
Spain, the 2024 European champions, came into the tournament as the No. 2 team in the FIFA rankings, while Cabo Verde—making its World Cup debut—was No. 67.
Spain was held to a scoreless draw.
The Spaniards feature some of the top talents in the world, from Lamine Yamal and Dani Olmo to Rodri, Pedri and Ferran Torres. Cabo Verde has one player in La Liga (Logan Costa, Villarreal) and a pair of players in MLS (CJ dos Santos, San Diego; Steven Moreira, Columbus Crew).
Spain—Spain—was held to a scoreless draw.
There is nothing like the World Cup.
