The fifth day of the 2026 World Cup group stage produced a result rarely seen in the tournament's history: all four matches ended level. The standout moment came in Atlanta, where Cape Verde held pre-tournament favorites Spain to a goalless draw, delivering one of the biggest shocks of the competition so far.

Spain arrived as heavy favorites against their African opponents, but Cape Verde's disciplined defensive setup frustrated Luis de la Fuente's side for the full 90 minutes. Much of the credit belonged to 40-year-old goalkeeper Vozinha, whose string of crucial saves kept the scoreline intact and turned him into the story of the night. De la Fuente introduced young forward Lamine Yamal after the break in search of a breakthrough, but Cape Verde's back line refused to yield, securing a point that will resonate well beyond this tournament. 7up7down

Belgium and Egypt Share the Spoils

In an entertaining, end-to-end contest, Belgium and Egypt drew 1-1. Egypt struck first through a sharp effort from Emam Ashour, catching the Belgians off guard. Belgium responded when Romelu Lukaku's pressure forced Mohamed Hany into an unfortunate own goal, restoring parity. Both goalkeepers, Thibaut Courtois and Mostafa Shoubir, produced key interventions, while Kevin De Bruyne came agonizingly close to a winner when his shot cannoned off the post.

Saudi Arabia Push Uruguay Late

Saudi Arabia continued to show the progress that has marked their recent international form, giving Uruguay a difficult afternoon. Abdulelah Alamri put the Asian side ahead with a well-taken rebound finish, backed by a composed display from goalkeeper Mohammed Alowais. Uruguay searched for an equalizer for long stretches and eventually found it deep into the second half, with Maxi Araujo scoring in the 80th minute to salvage a point.

Iran and New Zealand Share a Thriller

The day's most dramatic contest came in the meeting between Iran and New Zealand, which finished 2-2. Elijah Just scored twice for the Oceania side, threatening to secure a landmark win on their World Cup return. Iran, however, responded on both occasions, with Ramin Rezaeian and Mohammad Mohebbi cancelling out New Zealand's advantage each time. New Zealand's performance drew widespread praise despite the missed opportunity for victory.

A Rare Statistical Quirk

With four draws on a single day, Groups G and H now sit remarkably even, every one of the eight teams involved holding a single point after the opening round. Statisticians noted this is the first time since the 1958 World Cup that a matchday has produced four draws across the schedule.

• Group G: Belgium, Egypt, Iran and New Zealand all level on one point
• Group H: Uruguay, Saudi Arabia, Spain and Cape Verde all level on one point

The clustering of results suggests a narrowing gap between traditional powers and emerging footballing nations, a trend that should keep both groups unpredictable as the tournament progresses.