Cape Verde are a breath of fresh air at this World Cup. They held Spain, then came back again to draw 2-2 with Uruguay. Honestly, everyone is rooting for them now.
For fantasy, this was messy but useful. Maxi Araujo (£6.4m) is now impossible to ignore, Agustin Canobbio (£5.3m) got his goal, Cape Verde showed real bite, and MD3 gives both teams very different problems.
Here are the Demon Notes from Uruguay 2-2 Cape Verde: Araujo's run, Pina's historic free-kick, Varela's equaliser and what it means before Spain and Saudi Arabia in MD3.
Uruguay 2-2 Cape Verde
- Goals: Maxi Araujo, Agustin Canobbio; Kevin Pina, Helio Varela
- Cape Verde moment: Kevin Pina scored their first ever World Cup goal from a 32-metre free-kick
- Araujo watch: goal and assist, plus another goal ruled out for offside in the build-up
- Group state: Uruguay and Cape Verde both move to two points
- Next fixtures: Spain v Uruguay, Cape Verde v Saudi Arabia
Team Stats
Player Stats
| Player | Pos | Price | Match stats | MD3 note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Maxi Araujo | MID | £6.4m | 1 goal, 1 assist, scored in both Uruguay games | Great form, but Spain is a hard MD3 fixture |
| Agustin Canobbio | FWD | £5.3m | Scored Uruguay's second | Cheap return, but minutes and Spain fixture are concerns |
| Federico Valverde | MID | £7.5m | 7 shot attempts, free-kick threat, no return | Still active, but not clinical enough for the price |
| Federico Vinas | FWD | £5.9m | Good tournament points so far | Only a punt because Spain lower the ceiling |
| Kevin Pina | MID | £4.7m | Historic 32-metre free-kick goal | Saudi Arabia next makes him a fun low-owned watch |
| Helio Varela | MID | £4.9m | Equalised after coming on | Brave story, but check whether he starts |
| Vozinha | GK | £3.9m | Another big underdog result | Cheap keeper, but clean sheets are still hard to chase |
Demon Notes
- Araujo (£6.4m) is carrying Uruguay's fantasy attack. Goal and assist here, goal in MD1, and he even had another bundled finish ruled out because of an offside in the build-up. He is the Uruguay name that actually looks alive.
- Valverde (£7.5m) was active again, but fantasy managers need more than activity at that price. Seven shots sounds good, but if the points do not come, it becomes frustrating very quickly.
- Canobbio (£5.3m) took his goal well and gives Uruguay another cheap attacking option, but Spain in MD3 makes this a dangerous transfer in rather than an easy one.
- Cape Verde are brilliant to watch. Pina (£4.7m) gave them their first World Cup goal with a ridiculous free-kick, and Varela (£4.9m) kept the story going after the break.
- Vozinha (£3.9m) and the Cape Verde defence deserve respect, but this is not just a bunker team. They have personality, they counter well, and they look like they believe they belong.
What It Means For MD3
Uruguay face Spain next. That is the problem. Araujo (£6.4m) has been excellent, but buying into an attack before Spain is not the same as buying Brazil before Scotland or Netherlands before Tunisia.
If you already own Araujo (£6.4m), he is playable because the role and confidence are real. If you are buying fresh, it is a tougher sell. Valverde (£7.5m) is even harder to justify unless you are chasing a low-owned shot monster.
Cape Verde face Saudi Arabia, and that is where the fun is. They are on two points, they have momentum, and a win could send them through. Pina (£4.7m) is the cheap fantasy name after that free-kick, while Varela (£4.9m) becomes interesting only if he starts.
The clean-sheet chase is still risky, but Vozinha (£3.9m) is exactly the kind of cheap keeper who can rack up saves if Cape Verde are under pressure again.
Verdict: hold Araujo (£6.4m) if you have him, but do not force Uruguay attackers into a Spain fixture. Cape Verde are the sentimental pick and the useful fantasy punt: Pina (£4.7m), Varela (£4.9m) if he starts, and maybe Vozinha (£3.9m) if you need a cheap save route.