Pre-matchSunday, June 21

La Celeste Need All Three Points as Cape Verde Lie in Wait

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Uruguay, stunned by a 1-1 draw with Saudi Arabia in their opener, face a Cape Verde side riding the confidence of their own point as both teams chase Spain in Group H.

The bookies make Uruguay overwhelming favourites, and 70 of 74 in the pool agree — not a single brave soul backed the Blue Sharks to pull off the upset.

The Stakes

After dropping two points against Saudi Arabia in a shock opener, Uruguay sit second in Group H on a single point, level with Cape Verde but behind Spain's commanding four-point haul. Marcelo Bielsa's men need a win to keep pace with La Roja, who have already opened daylight at the top. Cape Verde, buoyed by their own opening draw, know a result here would thrust them into genuine qualification contention. Uruguay cannot afford another slip — the road to the knockout rounds suddenly looks far steeper than it did a week ago.

Team News and the Key Battle

Expect Bielsa to field his strongest XI after the Saudi stumble, with Federico Valverde and Rodrigo Bentancur anchoring midfield and Darwin Núñez leading the line. The Liverpool striker's pace and movement will test a Cape Verde backline that held firm in their opener, though the Blue Sharks will be without suspended defender Steven Fortes. The key duel: can Cape Verde's compact defensive shape — marshalled by veteran captain Roberto Lopes — frustrate Uruguay's creative forces long enough to spring a counter? Núñez versus Lopes could decide whether La Celeste find the cutting edge they lacked against the Saudis.

What the Odds Say

The markets see this as a formality. Uruguay are heavily fancoured to claim all three points and get their campaign back on track, with most bookmakers pricing them as clear, commanding favourites. Cape Verde's odds reflect the steep hill they face, though recent World Cup history has taught us that African underdogs with nothing to lose can be dangerous. Still, the weight of expectation — and the quality gap on paper — points firmly toward a Uruguayan victory. Those 29 poolsters calling 2-0 to the South Americans have read the room.

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