Defending champions Argentina were pushed to the limit by tournament debutants Cape Verde before securing a dramatic 3-2 extra-time victory in their FIFA World Cup 2026 Round of 32 encounter on Friday.
The South American giants narrowly avoided one of the biggest upsets in World Cup history as Cape Verde twice fought back from behind in a thrilling contest at Miami Stadium.
Argentina entered the match as overwhelming favourites but were made to work for every inch by a determined Cape Verde side that refused to be intimidated by the reigning world champions.
Lionel Messi opened the scoring in the 29th minute with a moment of trademark brilliance. The Argentine captain controlled the ball expertly before firing a left-footed effort beyond the goalkeeper to give his side a 1-0 lead. The goal marked another milestone in Messi’s illustrious World Cup career, extending his record tally on football’s biggest stage.
Despite Argentina dominating possession and creating several chances, Cape Verde remained organised and disciplined throughout the first half, trailing by only a single goal at the break.The underdogs stunned the champions in the 59th minute when Deroy Duarte capitalised on space inside the penalty area and squeezed a shot past goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez to level the score at 1-1.The equaliser injected belief into the Cape Verde side and briefly silenced the Argentine supporters, who had expected a more comfortable evening for Lionel Scaloni’s men.
With neither side able to find a winner in regulation time, the contest moved into extra time where the drama intensified.
Argentina regained the lead in the 92nd minute when defender Lisandro Martinez reacted quickest to a loose ball from a corner kick, smashing his effort into the roof of the net to make it 2-1.
However, Cape Verde once again refused to surrender.Just eleven minutes later, Sidny Lopes Cabral produced one of the goals of the tournament, curling a stunning long-range strike into the top corner to restore parity at 2-2 and send the crowd into disbelief.
As the prospect of penalties loomed, Argentina finally found the breakthrough in the 111th minute. A dangerous corner delivery from Messi was flicked on by Cristian Romero, with the ball taking a cruel deflection off Cape Verde defender Diney Borges before finding the back of the net for an unfortunate own goal. The late strike proved decisive as Argentina held on during the closing stages to secure their place in the Round of 16.
The statistics reflected Argentina’s dominance, with the holders enjoying 64 percent possession and registering 20 shots, including 10 on target. Cape Verde goalkeeper Vozinha delivered an outstanding performance, making a series of crucial saves that kept his team in contention until the final moments.
Although their World Cup journey ended in heartbreak, Cape Verde earned widespread admiration for their fearless display against one of football’s most decorated nations. Their spirited performance is likely to be remembered as one of the stories of the tournament.
The reigning champions will now turn their attention to a Round of 16 showdown against Egypt as they continue their quest for back-to-back World Cup titles.
