2026 FIFA World Cup Day 5 recap: Cape Verde deny Spain as African countries stand out

The 2026 FIFA World Cup continued on day 5 with four matches taking place, including two featuring African countries. 

Spain and Cape Verde kicked off the day’s action in Atlanta before Belgium and Egypt clashed in Seattle. Saudi Arabia’s game against Uruguay in Miami was up next before Iran and New Zealand wrapped up the day’s action. 

Here’s a recap of what happened in all the games. 

Group H action opened with the tournament favourites, Spain, taking on Cape Verde at the Atalanta Stadium. 

This was a David vs Goliath situation, as Spain came into the clash as the European champions and the favourite to win the competition, while Cape Verde were making their debut in the competition.  

However, what followed was a united and resilient team determined to make their mark in the World Cup on their debut. 

The Blue Sharks secured one of the most famous results in World Cup history, as they stopped Spain from scoring to secure a historic point on their debut.

Although they were under the cosh throughout the match, Cape Verde withstood everything Spain threw at them, thanks to their goalkeeper, Vozinha, who made a whopping seven saves in the game. 

The 40-year-old, who plays in the Portuguese second division, was Cape Verde’s hero, as he denied Spain’s established stars many times. 

Following the game, Vozinha’s heroics catapulted him into fame, as his Instagram followers moved from thousands to millions. What an achievement from the 40-year-old. 

Following Cape Verde’s heroics, it was the turn of Egypt to show the competitive quality of African sides, and they did just that. 

The Pharaohs, led by Mohamed Salah, held Belgium to a 1-1 draw in Seattle. Salah, who played 76 minutes of the game, set up Emam Ashour in the 20th minute for Egypt’s opener. 

Ashour’s brilliant finish ensured that the Pharaohs held to their longest lead in World Cup history, going into the break ahead. 

They kept the lead until the 66th minute after Mohamed Hany was forced to divert a ball into his own net. However, despite the equaliser, the Pharaohs never backed down and held on for a deserved point. 

Two-time world champions Uruguay faced Saudi Arabia in Miami but could only manage a 1-1 draw despite dominating the second half. 

With Cape Verde holding Spain to a goalless draw, La Celeste knew a win would give them the ideal start and put them in a strong position in Group H. 

However, they found themselves behind at the break after Abdulelah Al-Amri put Saudi Arabia ahead in the 41st minute. 

The second half was a different story, though, as Marcelo Bielsa’s men dominated from start to finish, taking a whopping 23 shots. The dominance did result in a point, as Maximilliano Araujo’s 80th-minute strike earned a point for the South American giants. 

It has been far from ideal World Cup preparation for the Iranian players due to the geopolitical war between Iran and the USA. 

They have had to camp in Mexico, even though their games are in the States. Also, a number of their delegates were denied visas to the USA. 

However, despite these challenges, they played one of the best matches of the tournament, coming back twice to secure a 2-2 draw against New Zealand. 

Team Melli fell behind after just seven minutes, as Elijah Just opened the scoring for the All Whites. However, Ramin Rezaeian restored parity for the Asian side in the 32nd minute. 

Following the break, Just scored his second of the game in the 55th minute to put New Zealand ahead again, but Mohammad Mohabi’s brilliant header in the 64th minute ensured Iran started their campaign with a point