Cape Verde surprises Spain with a draw in its World Cup debut

Match summary

Uruguay rescued a 1-1 draw against Saudi Arabia on the first date of Group H of the 2026 World Cup. The match was played at the Miami stadium before a crowd that filled the stands.

Abdulelah Al-Amri opened the scoring for the Saudis in the 41st minute. He took advantage of a rebound from Fernando Muslera after a header from Hassan Altambakti on a corner kick.

Uruguay controlled the ball for much of the match (64% versus 36%). However, he did not manage to convert his chances until the 80th minute. Maximiliano Araújo equalized with a left-footed volley after goalkeeper Mohammed Al-Owais saved a header from Federico Viñas.

Al-Owais was a figure in preventing several goals from Uruguay. He responded to shots from Viñas, Valverde and De la Cruz. Muslera, for his part, kept his clean sheet after the first score. The Uruguayan goalkeeper is playing in his fifth World Cup.

Saudi Arabia, which surprised Argentina in Qatar 2022, chose to retreat in the second half. Uruguay insisted with centers and medium-distance shots. Manuel Ugarte hit the post in the 60th minute.

Upcoming matches

Uruguay will seek its first victory on Sunday the 21st against Cape Verde at the Miami stadium. Saudi Arabia will face Spain on the same day in Atlanta.

The gesture that captured world attention

The fans of the Japanese team once again demonstrated their renowned civility during the 2026 FIFA World Cup. After the match between Japan and the Netherlands, played last Sunday, June 14 at the Dallas Stadium (Texas), the Japanese fans cleaned the stands.

The match, corresponding to Group F, ended in a 2-2 draw, a result that surprised those who favored the European team. But what really went viral was the behavior of the Asian audience.

Through social networks, FIFA released a video where Blue Samurai fans can be seen collecting glasses, bottles, plates and napkins. Each person carried a blue bag to deposit waste.

A female fan member explained the reason in a brief interview included in the video:

“Respect for everything. Respect for the players, for the fans and also for the stadium. It’s an honor for us to be here, so we don’t want to leave everything in a mess. I think that’s the reason why we do it.”

This practice is not new. Japanese citizens have already performed it at other sporting events, such as the World Baseball Classic. It is interpreted as a sample of the level of education and discipline that characterizes its culture.

On social networks, thousands of people applauded the responsibility shown by the Japanese followers. Many believe that this action should be replicated in all countries.

The gesture that sparked the controversy

A World Cup video review referee claimed his hand gesture, which looked like a sign of white supremacy, was due to an involuntary tic. FIFA concluded that Australian Shaun Evans did not violate the sport’s disciplinary code, despite the fact that the body’s discrimination monitor had ordered his withdrawal from the tournament.

The incident occurred during the official broadcast of the opening match between Germany and Curacao in Houston. While the preview showed the VAR analyst team, Evans made an “OK” symbol with his right hand. The video officers worked from Dallas, at the World Cup broadcast center.

“The only explanation I can offer is that the movement was an involuntary and subconscious tic,” Evans said in a statement released by FIFA. Later images showed him repeating the gesture while holding a pen.

Since 2019, that gesture—thumb and index finger joined together to form a circle—was classified as a symbol of hate by the Anti-Defamation League (ADL). The Fare Network, a partner of FIFA and UEFA in monitoring discrimination, considered that the gesture resembles the “white power” symbol used by the extreme right. “It is clear that this official should not have any additional role in this World Cup,” said Fare, describing the gesture as associated with neo-Nazi groups.

The context of the symbol dates back to a hoax originating in the 4chan forum and its use during the appearance of the perpetrator of the attack on two mosques in Christchurch in 2019, where 51 people died. However, Evans maintains that it was not intentional.

Evans, who is working in his second consecutive World Cup, is among the 30 video analysts selected by FIFA for the World Cup being held in the United States, Canada and Mexico. “The coverage following this incident simply does not reflect who I am,” he said, adding that he understands how the gesture has been interpreted. Refereeing in the World Cup, he said, is the greatest honor of his career.