Argentina secured its spot in the Round of 16 at the World Cup, prevailing against Cabo Verde with a final score of 3-2 after extra time. After the first 90 minutes ended in a 1-1 draw, the match required further drama.
Lionel Messi opened the scoring for the South Americans in the 29th minute, putting the ball under the crossbar from a precise assist by Lisandro Martinez. However, Cabo Verde responded fiercely, leveling the score in the 59th minute through Deroy Duarte, who capitalized on a pass from Mendes, directing the ball into the far corner.
In the second half, Argentina pushed for a second lead, but the Cabo Verde defense held firm. Goalkeeper Vozinha was notably outstanding, preventing several further chances for the Argentinian side.
The action intensified during extra time. Lisandro Martinez became involved in another scoring chance for Argentina; this time, he converted a header from a Mac Allister corner in the 93rd minute, placing the ball into the corner from a tight angle.
Cabo Verde refused to give up, managing another equalizer in the 103rd minute via Sidny Lopes Cabral. He scored a spectacular goal, ignoring his marker to curl the ball sharply into the right corner from the left side of the penalty area.
Argentina appeared momentarily stunned, but the deadlock was broken in the 111th minute when Cristian Romero headed in the winning goal from a corner. Until that final moment, Cabo Verde had every chance to draw level again, showing impressive power play execution in the closing minutes, but they were unable to convert these opportunities.
Although Argentina relied heavily on the individual brilliance of Messi and Martinez, hopes were high for more from a world-class player. Conversely, Cabo Verde exited the tournament with their heads high, narrowly missing out on a sensational run.
The South American team is set to face Egypt in the Round of 16 next Tuesday at 6 PM German time, following Egypt’s victory over Australia earlier.
