Argentina Survive Cape Verde Scare in Extra-Time World Cup Thriller

Argentina outlast Cape Verde in ET

From 1-0 up to 2-2 in ET, Argentina were taken to the limit by Cape Verde. A late Romero header booked their place vs Egypt.

Romero winner sends Argentina past brave Cape Verde into round of 16...

Argentina needed extra time - again. For a record 12th time at the FIFA World Cup, they went beyond 90 minutes before edging debutants Cape Verde 3-2 in a round of 32 clash in Florida.

Cape Verde, the lowest-ranked team ever to reach the knockouts on their World Cup debut, played like they had nothing to lose. Ryan Mendes forced Emiliano Martínez into action early when his shot took a deflection. 

Argentina settled after that. Messi had a scuffed effort go wide, then bent a free-kick straight at Vozinha.

Messi didn’t wait long to make his mark. Just before the 30-minute mark, he put the defending champions ahead - chesting down Lisandro Martínez’s floated diagonal, then flicking it into the roof of the net. That made it 7 goals for the tournament and moved him clear at the top of the Golden Boot race.

Scaloni’s side almost doubled the lead before halftime. Enzo Fernández let fly with a first-time curler from outside the box, but Vozinha got across to push it away.  

Cape Verde held on and went into the break only 1-0 down.

The halftime break came at the perfect time for the Blue Sharks. They came out with more energy after the restart, and Deroy Duarte tested Emi Martínez for the first time - forcing a smart save from the keeper on a shot from distance.

Then just before the hour mark, Cape Verde did it again. They found the equalizer they’d been pushing for.

Mendes slipped Duarte in behind. This time he didn’t miss. From a tight angle he drilled it into the bottom corner for the Blue Sharks’ first-ever World Cup knockout stage goal.

Messi nearly restored Argentina’s lead right away. He was clean through on goal, but Vozinha rolled back the clock with a close-range stop. The veteran wasn’t done - he then flew across to tip Messi’s tricky free-kick out of the top corner. The game stayed locked at 1-1 going into the second water break.

When play resumed, it was Cape Verde who nearly scored first. Pico Lopes almost turned Nahuel Molina’s dangerous cross into his own net, watching it whiz inches past the post.

Argentina couldn’t find a way through in the closing stages, and Cape Verde did the unthinkable - they forced extra time. 

But the joy didn’t last long. Just minutes into ET, a corner dropped to Lisandro Martínez at the back post. The same man who set up Argentina’s opener this time finished it himself, smashing it into the top corner to put the world champions back in front.

That lead lasted about 2 minutes. Cape Verde hit back instantly through Sidny Lopes Cabral with what might be the goal of the tournament - a curling rocket from a tight angle into the top corner. Game on again.

Messi tried to answer right away, letting one fly toward goal, but Vozinha was there again to palm it clear. The Blue Sharks went into the second period of extra time still deadlocked.

The fairytale wasn’t to be. Argentina grabbed the lead for a third time when Cristian Romero met a Messi corner with his head. It took a slight deflection off Diney Borges on the way in, but it counted - and it proved to be the winner.

The Blue Sharks refused to go quietly. Lopes Cabral proved his wondergoal was no fluke by hammering a free-kick toward goal, but Emi Martínez was equal to it and tipped it away.

La Albiceleste move on to the Round of 16, where they’ll take on Egypt.  

For Cape Verde, it’s their first loss of the tournament - but they bow out with heads held high after making their country proud.