World Cup
Muslera's miscue reshapes Group H as Cape Verde reaches knockouts
Spain secured a 1-0 victory over Uruguay on Friday night, June 26, 2026, after goalkeeper Fernando Muslera failed to handle Alex Baena’s 42nd‑minute shot, which rebounded into the net, handing Spain the win and propelling Cape Verde into the knockout stage.
Uruguay coach Marcelo Bielsa believed the error cost his side dearly, and he replaced Muslera at halftime with Sergio Rochet. The substitution came after the 42nd‑minute incident that proved decisive.
Federico Valverde was also withdrawn early, leaving the field in the 58th minute. Valverde, a Real Madrid star, saw his influence curtailed as Uruguay struggled to create chances.
The final group tally saw Spain finish with seven points, Cape Verde with three, Uruguay with two and Saudi Arabia with one. The points distribution reflected Spain’s win, Cape Verde’s draw and Uruguay’s loss.
Earlier in the group, Spain drew 0-0 with Cape Verde on June 15 and beat Saudi Arabia 4-0 on June 21. Uruguay held Saudi Arabia 1-1 on June 15 and drew 2-2 with Cape Verde on June 21, before the decisive 0-0 stalemate with Saudi Arabia on June 26.
Cape Verde’s next match pits them against Argentina on July 3 in Miami at 6 p.m. ET, where they will face Lionel Messi and the defending World Cup champions.
Spain will learn its quarter‑final opponent on July 2 in Los Angeles, with either Austria or Algeria likely to emerge from Group J; a tie would see Austria take the slot and Algeria meet Switzerland.
Uruguay’s campaign ends in third place, joining other teams on three points that miss the eight available third‑place slots. The tournament’s format leaves no room for further redemption.
Spain enters the knockout phase as the No. 2 favorite behind France, underscoring its status as a title contender despite a modest group performance.