New Delhi: The fifth day of the FIFA World Cup 2026 produced plenty of drama as all three matches ended in draws, with Spain being held by tournament debutants Cape Verde, Belgium rescued by Romelu Lukaku and Iran fighting back twice to earn a point against New Zealand.
The biggest surprise came in Group E, where reigning European champions Spain were frustrated in a goalless draw by Cape Verde. Despite dominating possession with 74 per cent of the ball and creating numerous chances, Spain failed to breach a resolute Cape Verde defence led by veteran goalkeeper Vozinha.
The African nation, making its FIFA World Cup debut, celebrated the result like a victory as it secured a historic point against one of the tournament favourites. Cape Verde, with a population of around 525,000, is among the smallest nations ever to compete at the World Cup.
In Seattle, Belgium were forced to settle for a 1-1 draw against Egypt. The North African side took a shock lead through Emam Ashour in the first half and looked set for a famous win before Romelu Lukaku changed the game after coming off the bench.
The veteran striker pressured defender Mohamed Hany into scoring the tournament’s first own goal, helping Belgium salvage a point.
The day’s final match carried both sporting and political significance as Iran fought back twice to draw 2-2 with New Zealand. Elijah Just gave New Zealand the lead on two occasions, but Iran responded each time through Ramin Rezaeian and Mohammad Mohebbi.
The match came amid protests outside SoFi Stadium against Iran’s ruling regime. After the game, Iran coach Amir Ghalenoei criticised restrictions imposed on his team during the tournament, calling Iran the “most oppressed” side at the World Cup after being instructed to leave the United States immediately following the fixture.
