Egypt 3-1 New Zealand · Vancouver | Uruguay 2-2 Cape Verde · Miami
- Egypt vs New Zealand · Group G — 3 – 1 — BC Place · Vancouver
- Uruguay vs Cape Verde · Group H — 2 – 2 — Hard Rock Stadium · Miami
Two matches closed out Day 11. Both delivered drama. Egypt came from behind with Mohamed Salah at the heart of everything. Cape Verde pulled off their second shock of the tournament. The World Cup 2026 underdog story is well and truly alive.
Egypt 3-1 New Zealand — Group G, Vancouver
Egypt trailed at half-time. New Zealand had the lead. Mohamed Salah had not scored yet. None of that mattered when the second half started.
Finn Surman gave New Zealand the lead with a header in the 15th minute. Tim Payne delivered a sharp corner from the right. Surman rose at the near post and glanced the ball into the net. Egypt goalkeeper Mostafa Shoubir had no chance. The All Whites went into the break 1-0 up and dreaming.
Egypt came out of the tunnel a different team. Coach Hossam Hassan made his team press higher and move the ball faster. The change worked immediately.
The Comeback
Just before the hour mark, Mohamed Zany swung a cross from the right wing. Mostafa Zico was completely unmarked inside the box. He powered a header into the net to make it 1-1. Egypt had their equaliser.
Nine minutes later, Salah took over. He linked up with Zico in a sharp one-two in a tight space. Zico returned the ball with perfect weight. Salah took one touch and curled a low drive into the bottom corner. It was the kind of goal that explains exactly why he remains one of the best players in the world.
Egypt’s third came in the 82nd minute. Salah delivered a corner to the near post. Substitute Trézéguet met it with a flick header. The ball flew into the net. Egypt was safe. New Zealand were done.
Goal Timeline — Egypt 3-1 New Zealand
- 15′ — Finn Surman — Header from Tim Payne’s corner at the near post New Zealand
- 58′ — Mostafa Zico — Unmarked header from Mohamed Zany’s right-wing cross Egypt
- 67′ — Mohamed Salah — Low curling drive after a sharp one-two with Zico Egypt
- 82′ — Trézéguet — Flick header from Salah’s corner at the near post Egypt
- 3 — Egypt 2nd half goals
- 67′ — Salah strikes
- 1st — Egypt WC win in 2026
- 3 — Points, top Group G
What This Means
Egypt moved to three points and top Group G. They faced Iran in their final group game. A win or draw almost certainly sends them into the knockout rounds.
New Zealand stayed on one point. They face Belgium next. The All Whites need to win. Their World Cup survival depends on it.
Salah’s goal will travel far on social media tonight. At 33, the Liverpool and Egypt captain still turns big moments into personal statements.
Group G Standings after MD2
| Team | P | W | D | L | GD | Pts |
| Egypt | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | +2 | 3 |
| Iran | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Belgium | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| New Zealand | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | -2 | 1 |
Uruguay 2-2 Cape Verde — Group H, Miami
Four matches in. Zero defeats. Cape Verde is the story of this World Cup.
They held Spain to a 0-0 draw in their opener. Everyone said that was a fluke. Then they came to Miami and held two-time World Cup winners Uruguay to a 2-2 draw. It is not a fluke. It is a team that knows how to compete.
The Stat That Tells the Story
Cape Verde are playing in their first ever FIFA World Cup. In two games, they have faced Spain and Uruguay — two former champions — and collected two points from both. No other debutant in 2026 has matched that start.
How It Happened
Kevin Pina gave Cape Verde a shock lead in the 21st minute. He struck a rocket of a free-kick from long range. The ball flew into the top corner. Hard Rock Stadium fell almost silent. Uruguay could not believe what they were watching.
Uruguay pushed for an equaliser. Marcelo Bielsa sent Darwin Nunez on from the bench. The pressure paid off before half-time. Manuel Ugarte crossed from deep. Rodrigo Bentancur headed it onto the post. Maximiliano Araujo was first to the rebound and headed it home. It was 1-1 at the break.
Uruguay grabbed the lead shortly before the half-time whistle. Agustin Canobbio guided home another Araujo header after more good work from Ugarte. Uruguay went in at the break leading 2-1 and feeling more settled.
Cape Verde refused to accept defeat in the second half. In the 61st minute, Uruguay goalkeeper Fernando Muslera came rushing out to claim a throw-in but misjudged it completely. Hélio Varela pounced on the calamity and rolled the ball into an empty net. It was 2-2.
Cape Verde pushed for a winner after that. They came close more than once. The final whistle blew with the scores level. Goalkeeping legend Vozinha punched the air. The entire Cape Verde bench stormed the pitch.
Goal Timeline — Uruguay 2-2 Cape Verde
21′ — Kevin Pina — Long-range free-kick into the top corner Cape Verde
45′ — Maximiliano Araujo — Header from Bentancur’s rebound off the post Uruguay
45+6′ — Agustin Canobbio — Guided finish from Araujo’s knock-down header Uruguay
61′ — Hélio Varela — Capitalises on Muslera’s goalkeeping error to equalise Cape Verde
“We didn’t come just to take part. We want to play all the matches and show we have the level to take on the best teams in the world.” — Bubista, Cape Verde Head Coach
Group H Is Wide Open
Cape Verde sits on two points. Uruguay also has two points. Both teams still have a game to play. The final group round will decide everything. Cape Verde faces Saudi Arabia. Uruguay takes on Spain.
Nobody is writing off Cape Verde anymore. Not after this.
Group H Standings after MD2
| Team | P | W | D | L | GD | Pts |
| Spain | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | +4 | 4 |
| Cape Verde | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | +1 | 2 |
| Uruguay | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | -1 | 2 |
| Saudi Arabia | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | -4 | 1 |
Day 11 Final Word
Four matches. Twelve goals. Zero easy results. Day 11 of the 2026 World Cup gave us Salah at his best. It gave us Cape Verde at their most stubborn. It gave us New Zealand’s first taste of heartbreak.
The 2026 World Cup is shaping up to be one of the most unpredictable tournaments in recent memory. With the final group games approaching, every single team in Groups G and H still has something to fight for.
No one is safe. Nothing is decided. That is exactly what makes this World Cup worth watching.