Argentina secured a dramatic 3-2 victory over Cabo Verde in extra time, advancing to the Round of 16 at the World Cup. The defending champions faced a resilient challenge from the debutant squad before clinching the win with a late own goal.
The match saw Lionel Messi open the scoring with his seventh goal of the tournament, showcasing his signature finesse. Receiving a precise pass from Lisandro Martinez, Messi controlled the ball expertly before lofting a finish over Cabo Verde’s goalkeeper, Vozinha.
Despite this, Cabo Verde remained undeterred. After halftime, Deroy Duarte leveled the score with a low, precise strike into the far corner, setting the stage for a gripping contest.
Extra Time Drama Decides the Outcome
Early in extra time, Argentina reclaimed the lead through Lisandro Martinez, who was quickest to react to a corner and fired home to make it 2-1. However, Cabo Verde’s spirit was far from broken. Sidny Lopes Cabral responded with a spectacular goal, sending a powerful shot into the top corner to bring the score to 2-2 and push the game toward a likely penalty shootout.
The deadlock was finally broken when Cristian Romero’s header took a deflection off Diney Borges, resulting in an own goal that sealed the victory for Argentina. This goal ended the remarkable resistance displayed by Cabo Verde, a team that had already impressed by advancing from the group stage in their first-ever World Cup appearance.
With this win, Argentina will now face Egypt in Atlanta on الثلاثاء, continuing their quest to defend the title against a determined and spirited field of contenders.