MIAMI GARDENS — Argentina is a soccer giant. It has won 16 Copa Americas as the best team in South America and three World Cups — including the most recent one in 2022. It has arguably the best player in history, Lionel Messi, on its team.
Cape Verde has never advanced past the quarterfinals of the African Cup of Nations. This is its first-ever appearance in a World Cup.
For 110 minutes, the two teams were inseparable.
Argentina survived the massive upset attempt, with defender Cristian Romero scoring the game-winner off a corner in the second period of extra time, to beat Cape Verde 3-2 at Miami Stadium. The win sends Argentina to the Round of 16 after Cape Verde’s near upset.
The stadium was packed with Argentina fans, who took up nearly all of the seats at a packed Miami Stadium for the shocking match. The announced attendance was 64,478.
Lionel Messi, the Inter Miami megastar, nearly scored his first goal in the first 15 minutes after a shot rolled just wide of the goal. He had another opportunity with a dangerous free kick in the 18th minute, but the ball sailed right to Cape Verde goalkeeper Vozinha.
Messi got the goal he was looking for in the 29th minute. Lisandro Martinez made a long pass to him as the Inter Miami standout snuck behind the Cape Verde back line. He handled the ball deftly and flicked it over Vozinha from close range.
The goal was Messi’s World Cup-leading seventh goal of the tournament.
Cape Verde had several attempts where it attacked Argentina’s defense. But it took until the 54th minute for Cape Verde to get its first shot on goal.
In the 59th minute, the World Cup underdogs known as the Blue Sharks struck. Captain Ryan Mendes took the ball out wide and delivered it to Deroy Duarte, who fired it past Argentine keeper Emiliano Martinez at close range to tie the game at one in the 59th minute.
Vozinha, the 40-year-old keeper who gained worldwide fame for his stellar performance in a draw against Spain, made two stellar saves to preserve the tie in the second half: one on a point-blank shot from Messi, and the other on a short Messi free kick. He made another save on a Messi free kick in stoppage time.
Argentina, encouraged by the crowd, had several dangerous attempts on goal over the next 30 minutes. Despite its opportunities, it could not get a winner in regulation.
Early in extra time, Argentina received a corner kick, and Martinez was able to direct a rebounded ball past Vozinha for the go-ahead goal.
That goal likely appeared to many to be the winner, but Cape Verde had other plans. Defender Sidny Lopes Cabral scored a stunning goal in the 103rd minute to tie the game at two.
Sidny Lopes Cabral with an ABSOLUTE GOLAZO to bring Cape Verde level with Argentina in extra time 😱
INCREDIBLE SCENES
— FOX Sports (@FOXSports)
Argentina got a corner kick early in the second period of extra time, and Messi delivered a well-placed ball to Romero, who headed it in for a game-winning own goal on Cape Verde’s Diney Borges. Martinez had to make a stellar save to keep a game-tying goal out of the net on a free kick.
