Messi on target as Argentina squeak past gallant Cape Verde to reach last 16

The game in Miami started according to the script.

Argentina skipper Lionel Messi struck his seventh goal of the 2026 tournament in the 28th minute to open the scoring.

He collected a long pass on the outside of his left foot and swept the ball past theCape Verde goalkeeper Vozinha into the net. Lionel Messi scored his seventh goal at the 2026 World Cup.

The equaliser in the 59th minute came after a spell in which Cape Verde dominated possession

Parity after domination

Cape Verde skipper Ryan Mendes surged down the right wing and fed the ball to Deroy Duarte who threaded the ball through the legs of Argentina defender Lisandro Martinez and past goalkeeper Emi Martinez.

At parity and piqued, Argentina took their turn to hog the ball.

But they could not break down the Cape Verde rearguard.

Vozinha stood tall to deny a Messi shot on goal and Roberto Lopes intercepted a pass as Enzo Fernandez waited to slot the ball into the net.

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Vozinha foiled Messi again in stoppage time but within minutes of the first half of extra time, he stood helpless. Lisandro Martinz atoned for his earlier error after controlling a cross and swept the ball over him into the roof of the net to give the defending champions a 2-1 lead.

The advantage lasted 11 minutes.
Sidny Lopes Cabral curled in a glorious equaliser over Emi Martinez from the left hand side of the Argentina penalty area.

The 23-year-old ran to celebrate the dream strike with supporters in the stand.

Cape Verde fight to the end

Cape Verde defender Diney Borges deflected the ball past Vozinha to edge Argentina ahead for the third time.

But Cape Verde, playing in the tournament for the first time, refused to yield.

Making a mockery of the 67 places separating the sides in the Fifa world rankings, they laid siege to the goal of the top-rated team.

Emi Martinez saved a Cabral free-kick zooming into the same spot of the net that he found for his goal. Dishevelled and ragged, Argentina held on to their trophy. Just.

They will take on Egypt next Tuesday in Atlanta for a place in the quarter-finals.

Cape Verde's players will return home from a debut World Cup with tales of a moment where they made giants tremble.