Live: Spain aim to dodge banana skin against Cabo Verde

Spain takes on World Cup new boys Cabo Verde at Atlanta Stadium, with Lamine Yamal on the bench.

Later, Belgium meets Egypt in another huge cross-confederation clash, before Saudi Arabia takes on Uruguay and Iran meets New Zealand.

Follow all the action in our live blog.

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Tue 16 Jun 2026 at 1:48am

Tue 16 Jun 2026 at 1:48am

Live updates: Spain vs Cabo Verde

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Spain vs Cabo Verde

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Tue 16 Jun 2026 at 3:13am

Tue 16 Jun 2026 at 3:13am

50' Cabo Verde break mis-timed

By Andrew McGarry

Cabo Verde are still in this and the ball is around their penalty area but they shut it down and clear.

Borges has it in the middle and it's two on two - are they in here?

The ball through would set Dailon Livramento free, but he is a couple of metres offside.

Tue 16 Jun 2026 at 3:10am

Tue 16 Jun 2026 at 3:10am

47' Early attack from Spain but no joy

By Andrew McGarry

Spain is straight into attack early in the second half, but they are playing it around a LOT, and there are a few whistles coming from the crowd.

Finally a ball comes in, but Oyarzabal's header goes well wide and the move breaks down.

Tue 16 Jun 2026 at 3:03am

Tue 16 Jun 2026 at 3:03am

Vozinha on track for man of the match

By Andrew McGarry

Good morning Andrew! If Cabo Verde get away with a point here Vozinha might get a medal of some sort he can share with the whole team. Go the sharkies!

- Big Ben

Big Ben,

You're not wrong! It's very early still, and there is PLENTY of time for Spain to get it right.

It would also help if Spain's forwards found that killer final shot.

For now, coach Luis de la Fuente would be a little concerned at his team's inability to get past Vozinha.

Tue 16 Jun 2026 at 3:00am

Tue 16 Jun 2026 at 3:00am

HT stats

By Andrew McGarry

Shots: Spain 10, Cabo Verde 3

Shots on target: Spain 5, Cabo Verde 0

Possession: Spain 70 per cent, Cabo Verde 30 per cent

Pass accuracy: Spain 92 per cent, Cabo Verde 80 per cent

Corners: Spain 5, Cabo Verde 0

Key Event

Tue 16 Jun 2026 at 2:52am

Tue 16 Jun 2026 at 2:52am

HT: Cabo Verde still level with Spain 0-0 in Atlanta

By Andrew McGarry

One last attack from Spain sees a header running wide.

But the whistle goes for half-time, and the crowd goes crazy in Atlanta.

What a first-half performance from Cabo Verde! They have held the World Cup equal favourites goal-less for a half of football.

Are we on for one of the great all-time upset results? You'd still favour Spain to make the breakthrough, but they'll have to improve here.

Tue 16 Jun 2026 at 2:49am

Tue 16 Jun 2026 at 2:49am

45+2 Vozinha again, stops header from Pedri

By Andrew McGarry

I don't believe Vozinha is 40 years old.

He is brilliant here! He's produced yet another great diving save to deny a header from Pedri.

Tue 16 Jun 2026 at 2:48am

Tue 16 Jun 2026 at 2:48am

45' Another great save from Vozinha for Cabo Verde

By Andrew McGarry

Spain is raising the intensity, hunting the breakthrough - and that should have been the opener!

A break down the left, the cross came in, it ran to Ferran Torres, and he hit a low drive toward the bottom left corner, but Vozinha was there again with a diving stop!

He has been excellent in goal.

We have four minutes of added time.

Tue 16 Jun 2026 at 2:45am

Tue 16 Jun 2026 at 2:45am

41' Cabo Verde breaks free but it comes to nothing

By Andrew McGarry

That was nearly something for Cabo Verde!

Spain was attacking, but a foot in stopped their progress and the ball was cleared for Blue Sharks to run on to.

Ryan Mendes charged up the middle and sent it out wide right where the move broke down, but that could have been something!

There was a huge roar from the crowd as Cabo Verde broke there. This is really something in Atlanta.

Tue 16 Jun 2026 at 2:42am

Tue 16 Jun 2026 at 2:42am

39' Spain go close with shot off the bar and great save

By Andrew McGarry

La Roja are hitting their straps here, and that was close!

Cucarella chipped from the edge of the box and found Ferran Torres on the left, his shot came off the bar and it came back to Oyarzabal, whose header was going in before Vozinha produced another great tip over the bar!

It's getting tougher for the Blue Sharks, but they are still level, approaching half-time!

Tue 16 Jun 2026 at 2:40am

Tue 16 Jun 2026 at 2:40am

36' Great save by Vozinha - but it wouldn't have counted

By Andrew McGarry

That was Spain's best attack yet, and they surged down the right and sent it to the box, where the ball was stopped by the defence, it came out and there was a thundering header towards goal, only for Vozinha to tip the ball over the bar in an athletic effort.

It wouldn't have counted anyway because of offside.

Tue 16 Jun 2026 at 2:38am

Tue 16 Jun 2026 at 2:38am

35' Livramento takes a shot from the centre circle for Cabo Verde!

By Andrew McGarry

Spain is starting to try to get more fluid moves together, but again it's breaking down.

Oyarzabal had it in the middle but his pass was blocked, and Dailon Livramento looked up in the centre circle and sawe Unai Simon off his line for Spain.

He took a big swipe at it, and it didn't go near the goal.

But that was a moment!

Tue 16 Jun 2026 at 2:36am

Tue 16 Jun 2026 at 2:36am

33' Cabo Verde's Ryan Mendes break called back for offside

By Andrew McGarry

The Blue Sharks are still holding it at 0-0, and they're not just defending. A nice long ball down the right set free skipper Ryan Mendes, but he was a metre or two offside.

Still that's a good show of intent from Cabo Verde

Tue 16 Jun 2026 at 2:34am

Tue 16 Jun 2026 at 2:34am

30' Oyarzabal put through but he can't get the shot off

By Andrew McGarry

Well, we were just saying that Mikel Oyarzabal had hardly been sighted.

He was just put through on the right by Ferran Torres, but the Cabo Verde defence closed him down, and ended up winning a throw - Oyarzabal was arguing the toss with the lines official, thinking he should have a free.

Tue 16 Jun 2026 at 2:32am

Tue 16 Jun 2026 at 2:32am

28' Cucarella blasts over for Spain!

By Andrew McGarry

La Roja are really tryin to put it together here, and they hold it in the forward half.

It falls to Marc Cucarella, and he blasts a right-foot volley over the bar from about 30m out.

The question here is what is happening with Ferran Torres and particularly Mikel Oyarazabal up front  - the latter has hardly touched the ball yet.

Tue 16 Jun 2026 at 2:30am

Tue 16 Jun 2026 at 2:30am

26' Blue Sharks are in this

By Andrew McGarry

We've come back from the break, and Cabo Verde are looking composed here.

They break down the right and defender Steven Moreira gets a shot off but it's easily blocked by the Spanish defence.

Tue 16 Jun 2026 at 2:26am

Tue 16 Jun 2026 at 2:26am

23' Cabo Verde break down the left

By Andrew McGarry

That was better from the Blue Sharks.

They won the ball in the middle and spread it out to the left where Jovane Cabral made some ground.

His cross/pass was easily dealt with, there was a bit of a scrum out of the box and eventually it was a free out to Spain.

But that's a sign of what they can do.

It's time for one of those ever-popular hydration breaks.

Tue 16 Jun 2026 at 2:23am

Tue 16 Jun 2026 at 2:23am

21' Spain pressing but no finish

By Andrew McGarry

Spain have been dominating possession here, but they haven't done a lot with it yet.

La Roja went forward on the right, but the ball was scooped into the centre of the box and cleared fairly easily by Cabo Verde.

No concerns yet, there is plenty of time to score, but Spain would surely have been eyeing a big goal-difference booster here.

It's not here yet.

Tue 16 Jun 2026 at 2:20am

Tue 16 Jun 2026 at 2:20am

16' Yellow card for Cabo Verde defender

By Andrew McGarry

The pressure is rising on the Cabo Verde defence, and Sidny Lopes Cabral has gone into the book for a rough challenge on a Spanish attacker.

He will need to be on extra alert now.

Tue 16 Jun 2026 at 2:19am

Tue 16 Jun 2026 at 2:19am

15' First Spanish shot on target safely held

By Andrew McGarry

That was the first sign of unsteadiness from Cabo Verde, with the Blue Sharks giving it away and Spain surging to the edge of the box.

Pedri took a shot from the left, but it was easily saved from Vozinha.

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