Argentina sweats to reach Round of 16, avoiding Cape Verde's and 'Vozinha's' feat

Argentina secured their place in the 2026 World Cup Round of 16 through a hard-fought 3-2 extra-time win against a resilient Cape Verde side. The match, held in Miami, saw the reigning champions pushed to the brink by the tournament debutants, who delivered a performance that nearly resulted in another major upset.

Lionel Messi opened the scoring with his 20th World Cup goal, a moment of brilliance following a precise pass from Lisandro Martínez. However, Cape Verde, demonstrating the same tenacity that earned them draws against Spain and Uruguay in regulation time, equalized in the second half through Deroy Duarte. The African nation's goalkeeper, Josimar 'Vozinha' Évora Dias, was a standout performer, thwarting numerous Argentine attacks.

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An own goal by Diney Borges after a header from Cristian 'Cuti' Romero following a corner taken by Lionel Messi broke Cape Verde's resistance and sent Argentina to the Round of 16 of the 2026 World Cup, after a suffered 3-2 victory in extra time in which 'Vozinha' was the best of the Africans.

The game intensified in extra time. Argentina regained the lead via an own goal from Diney Borges, who deflected a header from Cristian 'Cuti' Romero following a corner taken by Messi. This was quickly followed by a stunning long-range goal from Cape Verde's Sidny Cabral, leveling the score once more. The decisive moment arrived when Borges, attempting to defend another corner, inadvertently directed the ball into his own net, sealing Argentina's victory and Cape Verde's exit.

Despite the loss, Cape Verde departs their first World Cup with immense pride. They became the smallest nation to reach the first knockout stage and remarkably, did not lose any match within the 90-minute regulation period against three former world champions. Argentina, meanwhile, prepares to face Egypt in Atlanta, extending their official match winning streak against African teams to eight.

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A worthy performance for the African team, which narrowly missed a new surprise and leaves its first World Cup without losing any match in 90 minutes, despite playing against three world champions.