Last updated: July 2026
Defending champions Argentina survived an almighty scare from World Cup debutants Cape Verde, needing extra time and an own goal to escape the Round of 32 with a dramatic 3-2 win in what has already been called one of the biggest near-upsets in tournament history.
Lionel Messi opened the scoring in Miami in the 29th minute, controlling a pinpoint pass from Lisandro Martinez before lifting the ball over the onrushing Cape Verde goalkeeper Vozinha. It was Messi’s 20th career World Cup goal, moving him back into the lead in the race for the tournament’s Golden Boot.
Rather than wilt against the reigning champions, Cape Verde responded twice. Deroy Duarte levelled just after the hour mark with a composed finish through Lisandro Martinez’s legs, and after Argentina retook the lead, Sidny Cabral produced what has been described as one of the greatest goals in Cape Verdean football history to make it 2-2 deep into the match, despite Cape Verde managing just 0.45 expected goals across the entire contest to Argentina’s 2.16.
With the match locked at 2-2 and heading toward penalties, substitute Nicolas Otamendi headed a Messi delivery goalwards in the 111th minute. The effort took a deflection off Cape Verde defender Diney Borges and looped in for an own goal, finally separating the two sides and sending Argentina through 3-2 after a gruelling 120 minutes.
Cape Verde’s performance has been widely praised as one of the standout stories of the entire tournament, a nation of roughly half a million people taking the defending world champions to the very brink. Argentina had not been pushed that close in a knockout match since their 2022 final against France.
Argentina advanced to face Egypt in the Round of 16, setting up a highly anticipated clash between Messi and Mohamed Salah, who scored the winning penalty in Egypt’s historic shootout win over Australia.
Read more in our 2026 World Cup knockout stage preview, and shop the Argentina national team jersey to back Messi and the defending champions.
Argentina won 3-2 after extra time, with goals from Lionel Messi and an own goal deciding the match after Cape Verde twice equalised.
Argentina advanced to face Egypt in the Round of 16 after their extra-time win over Cape Verde.
Despite advancing, manager Lionel Scaloni will know his side were fortunate to survive a Cape Verde team that matched Argentina’s intensity for the majority of 120 minutes. The narrow escape serves as a reminder that in the expanded 48-team format, there are no easy knockout matches, and even the tournament favourites must be at their absolute best to advance past determined, well-organised opposition.
Messi’s opening goal against Cape Verde extended his remarkable World Cup scoring record and kept him firmly in contention for the Golden Boot as Argentina push for a second consecutive title. At 39 years old, in what is almost certainly his final World Cup, every performance from the Argentine captain is being watched with extra significance by fans around the world.
Argentina’s reward for surviving Cape Verde is a Round of 16 meeting with Egypt and Mohamed Salah, fresh off his own historic penalty shootout heroics against Australia. The clash between Messi and Salah, two of the most decorated attacking players of their generation, is being billed as one of the must-watch fixtures of the entire tournament.
Whatever happens next, Argentina’s escape against Cape Verde will be remembered as one of the great scares of their World Cup title defence.
The 111th-minute own goal that finally separated these two sides is a stark reminder of just how thin the line can be between glory and heartbreak at this level of football, and how a single deflection can define an entire nation’s World Cup story.
Messi and Argentina live to fight another day.
The road to a second consecutive title continues, but it will not get any easier from here.
Buenos Aires will breathe a huge sigh of relief tonight.
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