The fifth day of the 2026 World Cup group stage produced a result rarely seen at this level of the tournament: all four matches finished level, a sequence that has not occurred on a single matchday since 1958. The headline story came from Atlanta, where Cape Verde held pre-tournament favourites Spain to a goalless draw in one of the most significant upsets of the competition so far.
Spain arrived as heavy favourites, with most observers expecting Luis de la Fuente's side to control the game from the opening whistle. Cape Verde had other ideas. Fans following the action from home, some catching up on highlights between rounds of a play raja rani coupon game session, watched a compact, disciplined defensive display built around 40-year-old goalkeeper Vozinha, who produced a string of outstanding saves to deny Spain's attacking players time and again. De la Fuente introduced teenage forward Lamine Yamal after the break in search of a breakthrough, but Cape Verde's back line refused to break, closing out a famous point. play raja rani coupon game
Belgium and Egypt Share the Spoils in Thriller
Elsewhere, Belgium and Egypt served up an entertaining 1-1 draw. Egypt struck first through a well-taken effort from Emam Ashour, catching the Belgians cold. The response came from an unlikely source: Romelu Lukaku's persistent pressing forced Mohamed Hany into an own goal, restoring parity for the Europeans. Both goalkeepers, Thibaut Courtois and Mostafa Shoubir, were called into repeated action, while Kevin De Bruyne came agonisingly close to snatching a winner when his shot rattled the post late on.
Saudi Arabia Push Uruguay to the Brink
In the other Group H fixture, Saudi Arabia once again showed the growing competitiveness of Asian football, giving Uruguay a difficult afternoon. Abdulelah Alamri put the Saudis ahead with a sharp finish from a rebound, and goalkeeper Mohammed Alowais marshalled his defence impressively for long spells. Uruguay looked short of answers until the 80th minute, when Maxi Araujo finally found the equaliser to spare his side a shock defeat.
New Zealand Show They Belong Against Iran
The day's most dramatic contest came in Group G, where Iran and New Zealand shared four goals and twice traded the lead. Elijah Just scored twice for the Oceania side, whose energetic, direct approach earned widespread praise on their return to the World Cup stage. Iran responded on both occasions, first through Ramin Rezaeian and then Mohammad Mohebbi, to secure a 2-2 draw that leaves both groups remarkably even.
Groups Wide Open Heading Into Round Two
With all eight teams across Groups G and H now level on one point apiece, the opening round has left both sections as open as they could possibly be. It is a rare statistical quirk, but also a meaningful signal: the gap between traditional powers and emerging footballing nations continues to narrow. If day five is any indication, the remainder of the group stage promises little margin for error and no shortage of surprises.
