Argentina Survive Cape Verde Scare as Messi and Romero Seal 3-2 World Cup Win

KUALA LUMPUR, JULY 2026 — Argentina survived a major scare in the FIFA World Cup 2026 Round of 32 after edging Cape Verde 3-2 in a dramatic extra-time battle at Miami Stadium.

The defending champions were expected to dominate against the tournament debutants, but Cape Verde delivered one of the bravest performances of the knockout stage, forcing Lionel Scaloni’s side to fight for 120 minutes before finally securing victory.

Argentina started with Lionel Messi leading the attack, supported by Lautaro Martinez, Rodrigo De Paul, Alexis Mac Allister, Enzo Fernandez and Thiago Almada. At the back, Emiliano Martinez started in goal behind Facundo Medina, Lisandro Martinez, Cristian Romero and Nahuel Molina.

Cape Verde, meanwhile, fielded Vozinha in goal, with Sidny Lopes Cabral, Diney Borges, Pico Lopes and Steven Moreira in defence. Their attacking line included Ryan Mendes, Jovane Cabral and Nuno Da Costa, while Deroy Duarte played an important role in midfield.

Argentina created the first big chances of the match. Messi came close in the 15th minute, but his close-range effort went wide. Three minutes later, the Argentina captain tested Cape Verde goalkeeper Vozinha with a free kick, but the veteran keeper was alert to deny him.

The breakthrough finally arrived in the 29th minute. Messi escaped the offside trap after receiving a through ball from Lisandro Martinez, then finished from a tight angle into the top corner to give Argentina a 1-0 lead.

It was a typical Messi moment — sharp movement, quick control and a clinical finish under pressure. The goal gave Argentina control, but Cape Verde refused to collapse.

Argentina almost doubled their advantage before half-time when Enzo Fernandez fired from distance, but Vozinha produced another strong save to keep Cape Verde alive. The first half ended with Argentina leading 1-0.

After the break, Cape Verde began to grow in confidence. Their patience was rewarded in the 59th minute when Deroy Duarte equalised after receiving a pass from Ryan Mendes on the right side.

Duarte’s shot went through the legs of Lisandro Martinez and into the corner of the net, beating Emiliano Martinez and bringing the score to 1-1.

The goal shocked Argentina and gave Cape Verde belief that one of the biggest upsets in World Cup history was possible.

Messi had another major chance in the 63rd minute when he found himself one-on-one with Vozinha, but the Cape Verde goalkeeper made another important save. In the 72nd minute, Messi again tried his luck from a free kick, only to be denied once more.

As the match entered injury time, Argentina continued to press. Leandro Paredes fired from long range, but Vozinha kept it out. Messi also had another late free kick saved as Cape Verde held on to take the game into extra time.

Argentina restored their lead early in extra time. In the 92nd minute, Alexis Mac Allister headed the ball from a corner into the path of Lisandro Martinez, who fired into the corner to make it 2-1.

At that point, many expected Argentina to control the match and close it out. But Cape Verde responded again with remarkable spirit.

In the 103rd minute, Sidny Lopes Cabral received a pass from Yannick Semedo near the edge of the penalty area and struck a brilliant shot into the corner. Emiliano Martinez dived, but the effort was beyond his reach.

The equaliser made it 2-2 and brought Cape Verde back into the contest. For a few moments, the possibility of a penalty shootout — and a historic upset — became very real.

But Argentina found one final answer.

In the 111th minute, Messi delivered a corner into the box and Cristian Romero rose to head the ball toward goal. The effort struck Diney Borges’ arm before going into the net, sealing a 3-2 lead for Argentina.

Cape Verde pushed for another equaliser late in extra time, but Argentina’s defence and Emiliano Martinez held firm until the final whistle.

The win sends Argentina into the Round of 16, where they will face Egypt. Detik reported that Egypt advanced after defeating Australia on penalties, setting up another tricky knockout test for Scaloni’s side.

For Argentina, the victory was important but far from comfortable. The world champions showed experience and resilience, but the match also exposed defensive concerns and physical fatigue after a long, exhausting contest.

Messi remained central to Argentina’s performance. He scored the opening goal and later delivered the corner that led to Romero’s winner, proving once again how influential he remains in decisive World Cup moments.

However, the performance of Cape Verde also deserves major recognition. As one of the tournament’s biggest underdog stories, the debutants showed discipline, confidence and belief against the reigning world champions.

Cape Verde had already made history by reaching the knockout stage in their first World Cup appearance. Their performance against Argentina added another memorable chapter to their remarkable campaign, even though the result ended in heartbreak.

Vozinha was one of Cape Verde’s standout performers, making several key saves against Messi and Argentina’s attack. His display kept Cape Verde in the match for long periods and gave his team a real chance to pull off an extraordinary upset.

Argentina, meanwhile, will now turn their attention to recovery before facing Egypt. After playing 120 minutes in a high-pressure knockout match, squad management could become a major factor in their next game.

MIAMI GARDENS — Argentina survived a major scare in the FIFA World Cup 2026 Round of 32 after edging Cape Verde 3-2 in a dramatic extra-time battle at Miami Stadium.

The defending champions were expected to dominate against the tournament debutants, but Cape Verde delivered one of the bravest performances of the knockout stage, forcing Lionel Scaloni’s side to fight for 120 minutes before finally securing victory.

Argentina started with Lionel Messi leading the attack, supported by Lautaro Martinez, Rodrigo De Paul, Alexis Mac Allister, Enzo Fernandez and Thiago Almada. At the back, Emiliano Martinez started in goal behind Facundo Medina, Lisandro Martinez, Cristian Romero and Nahuel Molina.

Cape Verde, meanwhile, fielded Vozinha in goal, with Sidny Lopes Cabral, Diney Borges, Pico Lopes and Steven Moreira in defence. Their attacking line included Ryan Mendes, Jovane Cabral and Nuno Da Costa, while Deroy Duarte played an important role in midfield.

Argentina created the first big chances of the match. Messi came close in the 15th minute, but his close-range effort went wide. Three minutes later, the Argentina captain tested Cape Verde goalkeeper Vozinha with a free kick, but the veteran keeper was alert to deny him.

The breakthrough finally arrived in the 29th minute. Messi escaped the offside trap after receiving a through ball from Lisandro Martinez, then finished from a tight angle into the top corner to give Argentina a 1-0 lead.

It was a typical Messi moment — sharp movement, quick control and a clinical finish under pressure. The goal gave Argentina control, but Cape Verde refused to collapse.

Argentina almost doubled their advantage before half-time when Enzo Fernandez fired from distance, but Vozinha produced another strong save to keep Cape Verde alive. The first half ended with Argentina leading 1-0.

After the break, Cape Verde began to grow in confidence. Their patience was rewarded in the 59th minute when Deroy Duarte equalised after receiving a pass from Ryan Mendes on the right side.

Duarte’s shot went through the legs of Lisandro Martinez and into the corner of the net, beating Emiliano Martinez and bringing the score to 1-1.

The goal shocked Argentina and gave Cape Verde belief that one of the biggest upsets in World Cup history was possible.

Messi had another major chance in the 63rd minute when he found himself one-on-one with Vozinha, but the Cape Verde goalkeeper made another important save. In the 72nd minute, Messi again tried his luck from a free kick, only to be denied once more.

As the match entered injury time, Argentina continued to press. Leandro Paredes fired from long range, but Vozinha kept it out. Messi also had another late free kick saved as Cape Verde held on to take the game into extra time.

Argentina restored their lead early in extra time. In the 92nd minute, Alexis Mac Allister headed the ball from a corner into the path of Lisandro Martinez, who fired into the corner to make it 2-1.

At that point, many expected Argentina to control the match and close it out. But Cape Verde responded again with remarkable spirit.

In the 103rd minute, Sidny Lopes Cabral received a pass from Yannick Semedo near the edge of the penalty area and struck a brilliant shot into the corner. Emiliano Martinez dived, but the effort was beyond his reach.

The equaliser made it 2-2 and brought Cape Verde back into the contest. For a few moments, the possibility of a penalty shootout — and a historic upset — became very real.

But Argentina found one final answer.

In the 111th minute, Messi delivered a corner into the box and Cristian Romero rose to head the ball toward goal. The effort struck Diney Borges’ arm before going into the net, sealing a 3-2 lead for Argentina.

Cape Verde pushed for another equaliser late in extra time, but Argentina’s defence and Emiliano Martinez held firm until the final whistle.

The win sends Argentina into the Round of 16, where they will face Egypt. Detik reported that Egypt advanced after defeating Australia on penalties, setting up another tricky knockout test for Scaloni’s side.

For Argentina, the victory was important but far from comfortable. The world champions showed experience and resilience, but the match also exposed defensive concerns and physical fatigue after a long, exhausting contest.

Messi remained central to Argentina’s performance. He scored the opening goal and later delivered the corner that led to Romero’s winner, proving once again how influential he remains in decisive World Cup moments.

However, the performance of Cape Verde also deserves major recognition. As one of the tournament’s biggest underdog stories, the debutants showed discipline, confidence and belief against the reigning world champions.

Cape Verde had already made history by reaching the knockout stage in their first World Cup appearance. Their performance against Argentina added another memorable chapter to their remarkable campaign, even though the result ended in heartbreak.

Vozinha was one of Cape Verde’s standout performers, making several key saves against Messi and Argentina’s attack. His display kept Cape Verde in the match for long periods and gave his team a real chance to pull off an extraordinary upset.

Argentina, meanwhile, will now turn their attention to recovery before facing Egypt. After playing 120 minutes in a high-pressure knockout match, squad management could become a major factor in their next game.

The defending champions remain alive, but the message from this match is clear: no knockout game at the 2026 World Cup will be easy.

Argentina entered the tournament as one of the favourites, but Cape Verde showed that courage and tactical discipline can trouble even the strongest teams.

For Scaloni, the result brings relief. For Messi and Argentina, the dream of defending their World Cup title continues. But after being pushed to the edge by Cape Verde, they will know improvement is needed if they want to go all the way.