Uruguay players revolt against coach Bielsa as Spain lead 1-0 at halftime; Cape Verde hold Saudi Arabia 0-0

Player revolt rocks Uruguay

Uruguay entered their must-not-lose match against Spain with a dressing room in open rebellion. According to Uruguayan media, captain and Real Madrid midfielder Federico Valverde led a group of players demanding that Bielsa ease his notoriously intense training sessions and abandon his high-pressing style in favour of a more defensive, counter-attacking setup. Bielsa, nicknamed El Loco, responded by restoring striker Darwin Nuñez to the starting eleven but also making the pointed decision to substitute Valverde during the match. The midfielder left the pitch reluctantly, refusing to acknowledge his coach. The tension was palpable from kick-off; later, Uruguay’s Guillermo Varela and Sanabria both picked up yellow cards in a chippy first half, and forward Agustin Canobbio theatrically implored American referee Ismail Elfath to book Spain’s goalscorer Alex Baena, which he did.

Spain take a scrappy lead

Spain, still not mathematically certain of topping the group, started sloppily. Goalkeeper Unai Simón had an early fumble, and Rodri, usually so secure, gifted Darwin Nuñez a chance that the striker wasted with a poor cross. Yet the deadlock was broken in bizarre fashion. Uruguay goalkeeper Fernando Muslera, making his fifth World Cup appearance, completely misjudged a bouncing shot from Baena and watched the ball trickle into the net. The goal came at a chaotic moment: Uruguay midfielder Manuel Ugarte had just been stretchered off with a serious knee injury, leaving both teams temporarily with ten men as Spain’s Mikel Oyarzabal was also off the pitch receiving treatment. Bielsa showed no mercy, replacing Muslera at the interval with former AZ Alkmaar keeper Sergio Rochet.

Ugarte injury compounds woes

Ugarte’s exit on a stretcher was a severe blow for Uruguay, who had already lost their captain’s trust. The Flamengo midfielder was replaced by Nicólas de la Cruz. Before the goal, Uruguay had threatened with a fierce Rodrigo Bentancur shot that flew just over the bar, but the injury and the subsequent defensive lapse proved decisive. Spain, for all their possession and Lamine Yamal’s starting role alongside Mikel Merino and Baena, had created little until the gift.

Cape Verde on the brink

In Houston, Cape Verde and Saudi Arabia went into halftime locked at 0-0. The African debutants, who had already drawn with both Spain and Uruguay, were the better side. Long-range efforts from Jamiro Monteiro and Kevin Pina, who had scored against Uruguay, forced the Saudis back. Saudi Arabia lost central defender Hassan Al Tambakti to injury, replaced by Ali Lajami, as Cape Verde pressed for a winner. A draw would send Cape Verde through as group runners-up if Spain beat Uruguay, setting up a meeting with Lionel Messi’s Argentina. The Cape Verdean bench featured a notable presence: goalkeeper Vozinha’s mother, whose travel had been crowdfunded after her son revealed she could not afford to see him. Vozinha’s Instagram following has since exploded from 50,000 to over 17 million.

Halftime stakes

The half-time whistles in Houston and Guadalajara paused two very different stories. Spain lead Uruguay 1-0, a scoreline that would eliminate the South Americans and send Cape Verde into the knockout stage as group runners-up. Cape Verde’s 0-0 draw with Saudi Arabia leaves everything to play for; a Saudi win would knock the debutants out, while a Cape Verde goal would guarantee their passage. Both matches remain on a knife edge after 45 minutes.