Argentina edges Cape Verde in extra time to reach World Cup Round of 16; Colombia also advances

Argentina scraped into the World Cup Round of 16 after a dramatic 3-2 extra-time victory over Cape Verde. The match, played in Miami, saw the world champions face unexpected difficulty against the African debutants.

Lionel Messi opened the scoring for Argentina in the 29th minute with a skillful finish. However, Cape Verde equalized in the 59th minute through Droy Duarte. The game went into extra time, where Lisandro Martinez put Argentina back in front. Cape Verde responded again with a stunning strike from Sidny Lopes Cabral in the 103rd minute.

Ultimately, an own goal by Diney Borges in the 111th minute, deflecting a header from Cristian Romero off a Messi corner, sealed Argentina's win. Argentina will now face Egypt in the Round of 16.

In another match, Colombia secured the final spot in the knockout stage by defeating Ghana 1-0. Jhon Arias scored the only goal in the 14th minute. Colombia's defense was dominant, preventing Ghana from having any shots on target. They will play Switzerland in the next round.