Washington: Argentina overcame a determined challenge from tournament debutants Cape Verde to secure a hard-fought 3-2 victory after extra time, sealing their place in the Round of 16 of the FIFA World Cup.
The defending champions were pushed to the limit by the African newcomers, who twice came from behind during regulation and extra time before an own goal deep into the additional period finally settled the contest.
Lionel Messi opened the scoring for Argentina in the first half, continuing his remarkable World Cup run with another goal that strengthened his position among the tournament’s leading scorers. However, Cape Verde refused to be overawed and produced an impressive response, levelling the score through Sidny Lopes Cabral to keep the contest alive.
Argentina regained the advantage in extra time when Lisandro Martínez found the net, but Cape Verde struck back once again as Deroy Duarte restored parity, raising hopes of one of the biggest upsets of the tournament.
The decisive moment arrived in the closing stages of extra time when a header from Cristian Romero deflected off Cape Verde defender Diney Borges and ended up in the net, handing Argentina a dramatic 3-2 lead that they successfully defended until the final whistle.
The victory sends Argentina into the Round of 16, where they will face Egypt, who progressed after defeating Australia in a penalty shootout earlier in the day.
Despite the defeat, Cape Verde earned widespread praise for an outstanding World Cup debut. The island nation, one of the smallest countries ever to qualify for the tournament, produced a memorable campaign that included impressive results against several higher-ranked teams before eventually bowing out in a closely contested knockout encounter.
Veteran goalkeeper Vozinha once again delivered a standout performance, producing a series of outstanding saves to frustrate Argentina’s attack. The experienced shot-stopper denied Messi on multiple occasions and finished the match with another impressive collection of saves despite conceding three goals.
Messi’s strike added another milestone to his already historic international career. The Argentine captain continued his prolific scoring run at the World Cup and remains firmly in contention for the tournament’s Golden Boot as the knockout stages gather pace.
Although Argentina ultimately advanced, Cape Verde’s fearless display ensured the reigning champions had to battle until the final moments before securing their place in the next round, underlining the growing competitiveness of this year’s FIFA World Cup.
