Argentina Edges Cape Verde in Thrilling World Cup Match

On Friday, Argentina pursued back-to-back World Cup titles by facing Cape Verde, a surprise standout in this year’s tournament.

Cape Verde, an island nation off West Africa’s coast, entered the match ranked 64th globally. They challenged Argentina, the second-ranked team after France, by holding them scoreless for nearly 30 minutes.

However, in the 29th minute, Lionel Messi broke the deadlock. His goal marked his 20th in World Cup play and made him the first to score seven or more goals across multiple World Cups. This also extended his streak to eight consecutive matches with a World Cup goal.

Argentina’s Lionel Messi scored in his eighth-straight World Cup match and notched his 20th career goal in the tournament.

Despite gaining the lead, Argentina conceded when Cape Verde’s Deroy Duarte leveled the score early in the second half. Although Argentina applied pressure, including a Messi free kick, they were unable to score before extra time.

In extra time, Argentina regained the lead quickly, thanks to Lisandro Martinez’s goal in the 92nd minute. However, Cape Verde continued to fight, and Sidny Lopes Cabral equalized in the 103rd minute with a remarkable goal.

While Argentina had allowed only two goals in their previous ten World Cup matches, Cape Verde managed two in a single game. Eventually, in the 111th minute, Messi assisted at a corner, positioning it perfectly for Cristian Romero, whose header led to an own-goal off a defender’s arm. This sealed Argentina’s win.

Argentina narrowly avoided what could have been a monumental upset, keeping fans on the edge of their seats. The team now prepares to face Egypt in the Round of 16 on Tuesday in Atlanta.