Argentina’s perfect World Cup run came closer to breaking than it has all tournament, but Lionel Messi and the holders are still moving. Argentina beat Cape Verde 3-2 after extra time at Hard Rock Stadium, surviving two equalizers before Diney Borges’ 111th-minute own goal settled the Round of 32 tie.
Messi opened the scoring in the 29th minute, finishing from close range after Lisandro MartĂnez played him through. It was Messi’s 20th World Cup goal, extending a record that had already framed Argentina’s title defense after Messi’s double sent Argentina into the World Cup knockouts earlier in the tournament.
Cape Verde didn’t fold. Deroy Duarte tied the match in the 59th minute from a difficult angle on the right, and the underdog stayed in the game behind goalkeeper Vozinha, who made eight saves as Argentina piled up 22 shots and 10 on target. Argentina had 63.5 percent possession, but Cape Verde kept finding enough exits to make the match uncomfortable.
Extra time seemed to restore order when Lisandro MartĂnez scored in the 92nd minute from Alexis Mac Allister’s headed pass after a corner. Cape Verde answered again in the 103rd minute, with Sidny Cabral hitting the top right corner from the left side of the box after Yannick Semedo’s pass.
Argentina advances, but Cape Verde makes it uneasy
The final turn came eight minutes after Cape Verde’s second equalizer. Argentina forced pressure in the box, and Borges’ own goal gave Lionel Scaloni’s side the lead for a third time. This time Cape Verde couldn’t answer, even with late looks from Sidny Cabral, Borges and Hélio Varela.
For Argentina, the relief is obvious. The result keeps a five-win World Cup streak intact and sends the defending champion into the Round of 16. It also gives Scaloni a warning: the attack still creates volume, but the back line gave Cape Verde enough room to turn a match Argentina controlled into a near-upset.
For Cape Verde, the exit comes with more than sympathy. A team that had already dragged Spain and Uruguay into draws pushed the defending champion into extra time and scored twice after falling behind. Argentina moves on, but Cape Verde made the champion earn every minute of it.
Argentina’s ability to keep Messi central while adding younger runners has been the central tension of its World Cup roster balance. This was the roughest version of that formula so far, but it still carried the champion through.
