Four World Cup matches deliver upsets and late drama

Four matches were played Monday night into Tuesday at the 2026 World Cup, and all four produced notable results. Spain, the European champion, opened its campaign with a disappointing 0-0 draw against Cape Verde, while Belgium escaped with a 1-1 draw against Egypt. The other games also ended level, with Iran and New Zealand drawing 2-2, and Saudi Arabia and Uruguay finishing 1-1.

Spain were expected to win comfortably even without Lamine Yamal and Nico Williams in the starting lineup, though both came off the bench. Instead, Cape Verde held firm for long stretches with a defensive approach and frustrated the Spanish attack. After 734 passes, Spain were left with just one point from the match, and the scoreless draw was described as the first 0-0 of the 2026 tournament.

Belgium’s match against Egypt featured an Egyptian goal described as a superb strike, but Belgium managed to salvage a point with a 1-1 result. In the remaining game, Iran and New Zealand produced a thrilling 2-2 tie, while Saudi Arabia’s goalkeeper stood out in the 1-1 draw with Uruguay. The article frames the night as one surprise after another in the tournament’s early stage.