Defending champions Argentina survived a monumental scare from tournament debutants Cape Verde, edging a dramatic 3-2 victory after extra time in the FIFA World Cup 2026 Round of 32 on Friday night at Hard Rock Stadium (also referred to as Miami Stadium).
Lionel Messi opened the scoring in the 29th minute with a clinical finish, assisted by Lisandro Martínez, marking his 20th career World Cup goal and temporarily reclaiming the Golden Boot lead. Cape Verde, the underdogs ranked around 59th-67th in the world, refused to wilt. Deroy Duarte leveled the score in the 59th minute with an equalizer assisted by Ryan Mendes, stunning the pro-Argentina crowd.
Lisandro Martínez restored Argentina’s lead early in extra time with a goal in the 92nd minute, assisted by Alexis Mac Allister. But Cape Verde struck back again in the 103rd minute through a stunning long-range curler from Sidny Lopes Cabral (assisted by Yannick Semedo), one of the standout moments of the tournament.
The decisive moment came in the 111th minute when a set-piece delivery from Messi led to a header by Cristian Romero that deflected off Cape Verde’s Diney Borges for an own goal, sealing the 3-2 win for Argentina. Emiliano Martínez was forced into key saves late on, including tipping over another dangerous effort from Cabral.
The match, attended by 64,478 fans, showcased Cape Verde’s fearless approach. The island nation, making its World Cup debut, had gone unbeaten in the group stage with draws against strong sides including Spain and Uruguay. Their goalkeeper Vozinha produced several crucial saves, embodying the team’s resilient spirit.
Post-match reactions highlighted the respect earned by the underdogs. Cape Verde players were emotional but proud after their fairytale run ended. Argentina manager Lionel Scaloni had pre-match warned his team: “The biggest mistake at a World Cup is believing you’ve already won because of the badge on your shirt. Cape Verde didn’t come this far by accident.”
