Cape Verde vs Uruguay Tips, Prediction & Odds: World Cup 2026

* Odds supplied by Betway, accurate when this was written.

Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens stages Cape Verde vs Uruguay on Monday at 00:00 CAT, and both teams have one point each after drawing their first games. Cape Verde shocked Spain with a goalless draw on their World Cup bow, thanks largely to a run of saves from goalkeeper Vozinha. Uruguay drew 1-1 with Saudi Arabia, needing a late Maxi Araujo goal to salvage a point, and Marcelo Bielsa will want much more control this time. For all our World Cup betting tips, take a look at our dedicated section.

Cape Verde

Cape Verde could not have dreamed of a better opening, stifling Spain with a well drilled low block and leaning on Vozinha, who stopped everything even with Spain landing eight shots on target. I think this team is built on being hard to break down, with Ryan Mendes their main threat on the counter. With every side on level terms in an open group, another clean sheet would pile pressure on the others, and I expect Bubista to be cautious once more. No new fitness worries emerged from the Spain game, so I expect the same starting eleven.

Expected Lineup: Vozinha; Lopes Cabral, Lopes, Diney, Moreira; Pina, Duarte; Cabral, Monteiro, Mendes; Livramento.

Uruguay

Uruguay were careless against Saudi Arabia and only avoided an embarrassing loss through Maxi Araujo's 80th minute goal, so Bielsa will demand a sharper and more controlled performance. As I see it, injuries are the bigger problem: Ronald Araujo tore a muscle before the tournament, Giorgian de Arrascaeta has a broken collarbone, and Jose Gimenez has been nursing a knock. Even so, the gap in ability is massive, with Federico Valverde running the midfield and Darwin Nunez up front, and I believe Bielsa's possession football will grind Cape Verde down in the end. Victory here would almost guarantee a spot in the last 16.

Expected Lineup: Muslera; Varela, Caceres, Olivera, Vina; Valverde, Ugarte, Bentancur, Maxi Araujo; Vinas, Nunez.

I see Uruguay having most of the ball and eventually finding a way through a Cape Verde team that will drop deep and defend with numbers. With Vozinha in such good form and Cape Verde unlikely to send many forward, I expect a tight, low scoring match decided by one or two Uruguay goals. My forecast: Cape Verde 0 Uruguay 1.

Under 2.5 Goals (1.67)

Cape Verde have proved they will sit deep and rely on Vozinha, and Uruguay found it hard to break down a stubborn Saudi Arabia defence. With one side focused only on defending and the other short of creative players because of injuries, I think goals will be scarce. The value for me is Under 2.5 at 1.67.