By Our Correspondent
Asaba
Defending champions Argentina survived a spirited challenge from tournament debutants Cape Verde to secure a thrilling 3-2 victory after extra time and book a place in the Round of 16 of the FIFA World Cup in the United States.
Argentina will now face African representatives Egypt in the next round after overcoming the resilient Blue Sharks in a dramatic encounter.
Cape Verde, one of the tournament’s surprise packages, came from behind twice to level the scores before eventually bowing out after conceding a late winner.
Lionel Messi opened the scoring in the 29th minute, bringing down a looping pass with superb control before calmly slotting home. Argentina dominated much of the first half but failed to extend their advantage, going into the break with a slender 1-0 lead.
Cape Verde returned from the interval with renewed determination and deservedly equalised through Duarte, unsettling the defending champions. Despite mounting sustained pressure, Argentina were unable to find a breakthrough in regulation time.
Just two minutes into extra time, Lautaro Martínez restored Argentina’s lead, sparking wild celebrations among their supporters.
However, Cape Verde refused to surrender. In the 111th minute, they drew level again with a spectacular long-range strike that gave the Argentine goalkeeper no chance.
With the match seemingly heading for penalties, Argentina found one last moment of quality. Playmaker Romero rose to meet a perfectly delivered corner from Messi and headed home the decisive goal to seal a hard-fought 3-2 victory.
The result keeps Argentina’s title defence alive, while Messi, with seven goals, remains the tournament’s leading scorer. Cape Verde exit the competition with their heads held high after an impressive debut World Cup campaign that won admiration for their resilience and attacking football.
