Argentina 3-2 Cape Verde (AET): Holders survive historic World Cup scare
Defending champions Argentina survived one of the greatest scares in World Cup history, relying on a dramatic 111th-minute own goal to secure a breathless 3-2 extra-time victory over a magnificent Cape Verde side in Miami.
The Blue Sharks, competing on football’s grandest stage for the very first time, twice fought back from behind against the world number one side, threatening to pull off an upset of unfathomable proportions before heartbreak struck deep into extra time.
With a nerve-shredding penalty shootout looming at a stunned Miami Stadium, Lionel Messi whipped in a dangerous corner that was met by Cristian Romero. The defender’s header took a cruel deflection off the hand of Cape Verde’s Diney Borges, trickling past the otherwise immaculate Vozinha to finally break the African nation’s resistance.
La Albiceleste had initially looked on course for a routine evening when Messi opened the scoring in the 29th minute. Latching onto a sublime lofted ball over the top from Lisandro Martínez, the talismanic captain controlled the ball with his trademark elegance before lifting a delicate finish over Vozinha for his seventh goal of the tournament.
Yet, Cape Verde refused to follow the script. The tiny island nation of just over 500,000 people grew in confidence and deservingly equalised just before the hour mark. Ryan Mendes turned provider, sliding a pass to Deroy Duarte, who cleverly jinked inside the box and drilled a low, historic finish beneath the body of Emiliano Martínez.
Vozinha, the 40-year-old goalkeeper playing the game of his life, kept the dream alive with an astonishing sequence of saves. He denied Messi on multiple occasions, including a spectacular flying fingertip stop from a late, goal-bound free-kick to drag the world champions into an additional 30 minutes.
Argentina appeared to have reasserted control immediately in extra time when Lisandro Martínez rifled a loose ball into the roof of the net from a corner in the 92nd minute.
However, Cape Verde struck back with a moment of pure magic in the 103rd minute. Sidny Lopes Cabral, who was playing in the German third tier just months ago, cut inside from the left flank and curled an absolutely unstoppable, majestic strike into the top corner, sparking ecstatic celebrations.
Ultimately, it took a cruel deflection to separate the sides, leaving the valiant Blue Sharks collapsed on the turf in tears at the final whistle while a visibly relieved Argentina celebrated survival. Lionel Scaloni’s men now march on to face Egypt in a highly anticipated Round of 16 clash in Atlanta on Tuesday.
