Argentina survived a monumental scare from World Cup debutants, Cape Verde, needing extra time to edge past the tournament’s biggest overachievers 3-2 at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami on Friday, setting up a mouth-watering last-16 clash with Egypt. 

The reigning champions were pushed closer than at any point since their 2022 final against France, with Lionel Messi himself admitting afterwards that his side had “many” things to improve despite the win.

Messi opened scoring in the first half, extending his all-time World Cup goalscoring record to 20 goals with his seventh strike of the tournament so far. Cape Verde, however, refused to fold, with Deroy Duarte hauling the underdogs level to force extra time and send the Miami crowd into raptures. Lisandro Martinez appeared to have settled the contest with a close-range finish from a corner, restoring Argentina’s lead deep into the additional period.

But Cape Verde had other ideas. Sidny Lopes Cabral produced what many are already calling one of the greatest goals in the tournament’s history, curling a stunning effort into the net from the edge of the box to level things at 2-2 and keep the African side’s fairytale run alive for a few more agonising minutes. Despite being heavily outplayed statistically across the match, the Blue Sharks matched Argentina blow for blow on the scoreboard until the very end.

It was Cristian Romero who finally broke Cape Verde’s resistance, steering a header goalwards from a Messi corner in the second period of extra time. The effort took a decisive touch off defender Diney Borges on its way in, ruled an own goal that ended Cape Verde’s remarkable journey at the tournament. Late chances for Semedo, Cabral and Benchimol all came to nothing as Argentina held on to seal their passage through.

The result sends Lionel Messi’s side into the last 16 to face Egypt, who stunned Australia on penalties earlier on Friday, in what promises to be one of the standout fixtures of the knockout stage. For Cape Verde, elimination brings an end to a tournament debut that captured hearts around the world, with their against-the-odds run to the last 32 likely to be remembered as one of the great World Cup stories.

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