Follow Us on Google
Defending champions Argentina survived a major World Cup upset after edging spirited debutants Cape Verde 3-2 after extra time in a gripping Round of 32 encounter at Miami Stadium on Friday night.
Lionel Messi’s first-half strike appeared to have put Argentina on course for a routine victory, but Cape Verde twice fought back to force the South American giants to the brink before an unfortunate own goal from Diney Borges nine minutes from the end of extra time finally settled an unforgettable contest.
The dramatic victory sends Lionel Scaloni’s side into the Round of 16, where they will face Egypt on Tuesday, while Cape Verde bow out after producing one of the most courageous performances of the tournament.
Argentina dominated possession in the opening stages and eventually found the breakthrough in the 29th minute through Messi. The captain expertly controlled a long pass from Lisandro Martínez before firing an emphatic finish into the roof of the net for his seventh goal of the tournament and his 20th in World Cup history.
Many expected the holders to take complete control after the opener, but Cape Verde refused to surrender. The African side returned after the break with renewed belief and deservedly levelled in the 59th minute when Deroy Duarte latched onto Ryan Mendes’ pass before squeezing his finish through Martínez and beyond Emiliano Martínez from a tight angle.
With neither side able to find a winner in normal time, the match moved into extra time, where the drama intensified almost immediately. Just two minutes into the additional period, Lisandro Martínez restored Argentina’s lead by powering home from Alexis Mac Allister’s flick following a corner.
Cape Verde, however, responded once again in spectacular fashion. In the 103rd minute, substitute Sidny Cabral produced one of the goals of the tournament, cutting inside before curling a sensational strike beyond Emiliano Martínez to make it 2-2 and stun the thousands of Argentine supporters inside the stadium.
The underdogs continued to threaten, with Cabral forcing another outstanding save from Martínez late in extra time as they chased what would have been one of the greatest World Cup upsets in history.
Argentina eventually found the decisive moment in the 111th minute when pressure inside the Cape Verde penalty area ended with Cristian Romero’s effort taking a cruel deflection off Diney Borges and into the net for an own goal that broke Cape Verde’s resistance.
Despite the defeat, Cape Verde earned widespread admiration for matching the reigning world champions throughout the contest. Goalkeeper Vozinha produced another outstanding display, making eight crucial saves, including denying Messi in a one-on-one situation and tipping over a dangerous free-kick to keep his side in the contest.
The final whistle brought relief for Argentina rather than celebration, with Messi and several teammates consoling the devastated Cape Verde players after a performance that announced the African nation’s arrival on football’s biggest stage.
Argentina now continue their title defence against Egypt, while Cape Verde depart the tournament with their reputation significantly enhanced after pushing the world champions to their limits.
