Argentina survives scare, beats Cabo Verde in extra time

Argentina narrowly avoided an upset, securing a 3-2 victory over Cabo Verde in extra time during a World Cup round of 16 match, a result that exposed the reigning champions' significant over-reliance on Lionel Messi.

The match, held in Miami, saw Cabo Verde, a small island nation, deliver a performance that captivated audiences and earned praise from their coach, Bubista, who proclaimed, “You can be small and compete against the big ones.” Their exciting display, however, led to an agonizing struggle for Argentina, who only managed to win through two set-piece goals in overtime.

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You can be small and compete against the big ones.

Lionel Messi, who scored his seventh goal of the tournament, acknowledged the team's difficulties. “We did the hardest thing, scoring the first goal, and we thought that with that we would find our game and be calmer, and it was the opposite. We lost the ball, we fell back and couldn't press well,” Messi admitted. This sentiment underscores the team's struggle to maintain control and find their rhythm even after taking the lead.

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We did the hardest thing, scoring the first goal, and we thought that with that we would find our game and be calmer, and it was the opposite. We lost the ball, we fell back and couldn't press well.

Before this tense encounter, Argentina had enjoyed a relatively smooth path through the tournament, with their journey marked by Messi's individual milestones. However, the close call with Cabo Verde served as a stark reminder of the World Cup's demanding nature, requiring collective effort beyond individual brilliance. The team's midfield, featuring Alexis Mac Allister, Enzo Fernández, Rodrigo de Paul, and Thiago Almada, has shown a tendency to become stagnant, and the attack, aside from Messi, has lacked consistent threat from Lautaro Martínez and Julián Alvarez.

Argentina's next challenge is Egypt in the quarterfinals. Messi stressed the importance of learning from the match: “The important thing is to rest, think about what's coming, take the positive things from the game, which there were also, and correct the bad ones, which there were many too.” The team must address these collective issues to progress further in the tournament.

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The important thing is to rest, think about what's coming, take the positive things from the game, which there were also, and correct the bad ones, which there were many too.