Argentina Edges Cape Verde in Thrilling World Cup 2026 Match to Reach Round of 16

In a dramatic World Cup 2026 match played overnight between Friday and Saturday, Argentina narrowly defeated Cape Verde 3-2 after extra time, securing their place in the round of 16. Cape Verde, a small island nation with just over 530,000 residents, pushed the reigning world champions to the limit and nearly forced a penalty shootout, marking one of the tournament's biggest surprises. Argentina will next face Egypt and Mohamed Salah in the knockout stage.

Argentina controlled possession for much of the game but struggled to break down Cape Verde’s defense, with goalkeeper Vozinha delivering an outstanding performance. Lionel Messi opened the scoring in the 29th minute following a brilliant assist from Lisandro Martinez. Cape Verde equalized in the 59th minute through Droui Duarte, sending the match into extra time at 1-1.

Early in extra time, Martinez restored Argentina’s lead with a superb strike, but Cape Verde responded in the 103rd minute with a stunning goal from Sidney Lofsh-Cabral. The decisive moment came when Cristian Romero headed in a ball that deflected off a defender, giving Argentina a 3-2 advantage they held until the final whistle. The Cape Verde players and fans were visibly heartbroken after their valiant effort.

Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni praised Cape Verde as a "wonderful team" and acknowledged the difficulty of the match, emphasizing his squad’s resilience and determination. Messi extended his World Cup scoring streak to eight consecutive games and became the player with the most goal involvements in knockout stages (12). He also became the first player to score seven goals in two different World Cups, leading the current tournament’s scoring chart with seven goals, ahead of Kylian Mbappé’s six.

Scaloni, marking his 100th game as coach, highlighted the significance of representing Argentina and the challenges the team faces. Despite the scare, Argentina advanced as expected but only after a hard-fought battle against a lower-ranked but highly competitive Cape Verde side.