Argentina overcome Cape Verde in extra time, Messi scores 20th World Cup goal
Argentina needed a Cristian Romero header in extra time to defeat debutants Cape Verde 3-2, with Messi scoring his 20th World Cup goal and joking about opponents’ contrasting conduct.
Argentina survived a formidable challenge from World Cup debutants Cape Verde to win 3-2 after extra time at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami, sealing a round-of-16 meeting with Egypt. The defending champions took an early lead through Lionel Messi’s well-taken opener – his seventh of the tournament and 20th in World Cups – but were pegged back twice. Deroy Duarte equalised in the second half, and after Lisandro Martínez restored Argentina’s lead in extra time, Sidney Lopes Cabral curled in a long-range strike that forced a tense finish. Cristian Romero’s deflected header from a Messi corner in the 111th minute ultimately settled the tie.
The contrast between the physical battle and the post-match deference was stark. Messi noted with a laugh, as reported in Argentine media, that Cape Verde’s players “on the field kick the crap out of me, then afterwards they ask for my jersey and photos.” The 39-year-old obliged every request, and images of opponents queuing for selfies with the Argentina captain circulated worldwide. Messi also offered a blunt assessment, conceding that after scoring first “we lost the ball, sat back, and couldn’t press well.” He highlighted the importance of set-pieces, an area Argentina had been working on, which produced the winner.
Cape Verde’s resistance was no shock. The island nation, with a population of around 525,000, had already held Spain and Uruguay to draws in the group stage, remaining undefeated until this match. Their coach, Bubista, said they “showed our identity” by twice forcing the world champions level. African media celebrated the Blue Sharks’ historic run as the smallest country ever to reach a World Cup knockout round. “We knew it would be tough,” Messi acknowledged, citing Cape Verde’s results against elite sides.
Argentina advance to face Egypt in Atlanta on 7 July, a team that overcame Australia on penalties. The winners will meet either Switzerland or Colombia in the quarter-finals. Coach Lionel Scaloni praised Cape Verde but stressed his squad would review the negatives before the next test.
| Southeast Asian press | −0.20 | neutral |
|---|---|---|
| Sub-Saharan African press | +0.70 | aligned |
Messi, after the hard-fought win, jokes about the beating he received and demands more effort from the team.
Quoting the star player directly creates immediacy and authority, shifting focus to the leader's reaction.
It omits Argentina's next opponent, Egypt, which just won on penalties, providing broader context to the Argentine victory.
Egypt, with the decisive penalty, demonstrates the maturity of African football and prepares to face Argentina.
Emphasizing the numerical fact of two African teams in the round of 16 reinforces the sense of collective progress.
It omits Messi's criticism of his own team, which could diminish the Egyptian victory.
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