Argentina survive Cape Verde scare to reach World Cup last 16

Argentina’s Lionel Messi shoots during the 2026 World Cup round of 32 match against Cape Verde at Miami Stadium in Miami Gardens on July 3, 2026. (Photo by Chandan Khanna / AFP) Reigning champions Argentina advanced to the FIFA World Cup round of 16 after a tense 3-2 extra-time victory over Cape Verde on Friday in Miami Gardens, Florida, ending the debutants’ historic run after one of the tournament’s most dramatic knockout matches. Argentina, defending the title it won in Qatar in 2022, was forced to recover from two Cape Verde equalizers before a late own goal settled the round-of-32 contest. The result sends Lionel Scaloni’s side into a round-of-16 match against Egypt on Tuesday in Atlanta. Lionel Messi, returning to the starting lineup after being rested in Argentina’s previous match, opened the scoring in the 29th minute. Lisandro Martinez sent a long ball over the Cape Verde defense, and Messi controlled it before finishing into the roof of the net for his seventh goal of the tournament and 20th World Cup goal across six editions. Cape Verde, playing in its first World Cup, responded with composure rather than retreating. Deroy Duarte equalized in the 59th minute, stunning a heavily pro-Argentina crowd and forcing the defending champions to push deep into a match many had expected them to control. Argentina went ahead again early in extra time when Lisandro Martinez struck in the 92nd minute, but Cape Verde again refused to fade. Sidny Lopes Cabral curled in another equalizer in the 103rd minute, bringing the score to 2-2 and raising the possibility of one of the biggest upsets in World Cup history. The decisive moment came in the 111th minute. Messi delivered a corner into the penalty area, where Cristian Romero’s header deflected off Cape Verde defender Diney Borges and into the net. The goal was credited as an own goal, giving Argentina the lead for the third time. Cape Verde still had a chance to level again, but Argentina goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez saved a late free kick from Lopes Cabral as the South American champions held on. After the match, Scaloni praised Cape Verde and said the contest showed the difficulty of knockout football. “I want to congratulate our opponents. Today they showed they are a great team,” he said, according to Reuters. “When it is said there are no easy matches in the World Cup, it’s true.” Cape Verde coach Bubista said his players should take pride in their performance. Reuters quoted him as saying the team had shown it could compete against the world champions and had achieved something significant for the country. Cape Verde exits after a landmark campaign in which it became the smallest nation by population to reach the World Cup knockout stage. The team advanced from the group stage after draws against Spain, Uruguay and Saudi Arabia, earning wider attention for its disciplined defending and resilience. The 2026 World Cup is the first edition to feature 48 teams, with a new round of 32 added before the traditional last 16. For Argentina, the expanded path to another title now continues against Egypt, but Friday’s match showed the holders may face a far more difficult route than expected. The post Argentina survive Cape Verde scare to reach World Cup last 16 appeared first on Khaama Press.