Defending champions Argentina booked their place in the Round of 16 of the FIFA World Cup after edging tournament debutants Cape Verde 3-2 in a thrilling extra-time encounter.
The South American giants were pushed to the limit by the spirited African side, who fought back twice to keep their World Cup dream alive before eventually bowing out in dramatic fashion.
Lionel Messi gave Argentina the lead in the 29th minute, finishing brilliantly after connecting with a lofted pass from Lisandro Martínez. The goal was Messi’s seventh of the tournament.
Cape Verde refused to be intimidated and found an equaliser shortly before the hour mark through Deroy Duarte, silencing many of the Argentine supporters in the stadium and sending the contest into a tense battle.
Just two minutes into extra time, Lisandro Martínez restored Argentina’s advantage by converting from an Alexis Mac Allister corner.
Cape Verde responded once again in the 103rd minute as Sidny Lopes Cabral produced a stunning long-range strike from outside the box, curling the ball into the top corner to level the score at 2-2.
The decisive moment came in the 111th minute when Lionel Messi delivered a corner that Cristian Romero headed toward goal. The ball deflected off Cape Verde defender Diney Borges and ended up in the net for an unfortunate own goal that sealed a 3-2 victory for Argentina.
Although Cape Verde’s remarkable World Cup journey came to an end, the debutants earned widespread admiration for their fearless performances throughout the tournament.
Argentina will now face Egypt in the Round of 16 as they continue their quest to successfully defend their World Cup title.
