Defending champions Argentina faced a stiff challenge but were able to overcome Cape Verde with a thrilling 3-2 win in extra time to book their place in the World Cup Round of 16. (AP photo)
Defending champions Argentina survived a major scare to pull off a breathless 3-2 extra-time win over newcomers Cape Verde on Saturday, booking their place in the World Cup last 16 after an epic battle that pushed the current kings to their limits.The Blue Sharks, a small island off the coast of West Africa, played a script reserved for folklore, refusing to yield under the weight of the pro-Argentine crowd in South Florida. It took a tough goal in the 111th minute for them to finally break their resistance when Cristian Romero’s powerful header deflected off Cape Verde’s Denny Borges and into the net, securing the Argentines a ticket to the quarter-finals.
Earlier, it was Argentine star Lionel Messi who lit up the stadium in the 29th minute.
Messi sprinted behind the defence, latched on to a lofted pass from Lisandro Martinez, made a brilliant first touch, and scored a decisive goal into the roof of the net. The goal was Messi’s record 20th of his World Cup career, moving him to the top of the Golden Boot race with seven goals in this tournament, ahead of France’s Kylian Mbappé.However, Cape Verde’s fairytale run, which was anchored by a heroic save from 40-year-old goalkeeper Fusenha, was not over yet.
Deroy Duarte surprised the hosts with a smart equalizer in normal time. When extra time began, Lisandro Martinez briefly restored Argentina’s lead in the 103rd minute, but Sidney Lopez Cabral responded almost immediately with a stunning equalizer that left the stadium in a state of complete disbelief.Ultimately, heroic perseverance carried Argentina through the chaos, saved by heroic late goalkeepers to prevent Cape Verde’s desperate run in the final seconds.While the African national team was eliminated for the first time after a historic campaign that included amazing results in the group stage against Spain and Uruguay, Argentina continued its progress. The world champions now head to Atlanta on Tuesday for an exciting Round of 16 match against Egypt, who qualified after beating Australia on penalties.