With no prior matches played in Group H, Uruguay’s status as a consistent South American power with players like Darwin Núñez and Federico Valverde suggests they will control this opener. Cape Verde, a smaller football nation likely making their World Cup debut, face a significant quality gap. The Hard Rock Stadium in Miami is essentially neutral, but Uruguay’s greater tournament experience should allow them to dominate possession and create chances. A 2-0 scoreline aligns with typical low-risk victories when a stronger side faces a weaker opponent early in a group stage, while a draw remains a plausible outsider result given the absence of competitive data to assess current form. The win probability cap of 0.82 is respected, and the draw at 0.15 reflects a cautious margin for an opening match surprise.

• Uruguay's historically superior squad quality and World Cup experience vs. debutant Cape Verde
• Lack of recent competitive form due to tournament's early stage — prediction based on pedigree