Argentina were pushed to the edge by World Cup newcomers Cape Verde before escaping with a dramatic 3 to 2 victory after extra time in Miami.
The defending champions needed a 111th minute own goal from Diney Borges to avoid what would have been one of the most remarkable upsets in tournament history. Cape Verde, ranked 64th by FIFA, twice fought back against the world number two side and came close to forcing a penalty shootout.
Argentina appeared to be in control when Lionel Messi opened the scoring in the 29th minute. The captain showed his trademark class, bringing down a long pass from Lisandro Martinez before finishing powerfully into the roof of the net. It was Messi’s 20th goal in World Cup history, adding another milestone to his extraordinary career.
But Cape Verde refused to be overawed by the occasion. The smallest nation ever to appear in a World Cup knockout match showed courage, discipline and belief throughout the contest. Their reward came in the second half when Deroy Duarte burst into the box and struck from a tight angle, sending the ball through Martinez’s legs and beyond Emiliano Martinez.
With the match level after 90 minutes, Argentina struck again almost immediately in extra time. Lisandro Martinez reacted sharply to Alexis Mac Allister’s clever flick from a corner and fired past Vozinha to make it 2 to 1.
Still, Cape Verde had another response. Sidny Lopes Cabral produced a sensational equaliser in the 103rd minute, cutting inside from the left before curling a brilliant shot over Emiliano Martinez and into the far top corner. It was a stunning moment that briefly made Cape Verde dream of history.
Cabral nearly created another unforgettable chapter late in extra time, forcing Martinez into a superb save four minutes from the end. Moments later, Argentina finally found their escape when Cristian Romero’s header deflected off Borges and ended up in the net.
Vozinha, Cape Verde’s 40 year old goalkeeper, was outstanding once again. After impressing in their earlier 0 to 0 draw with Spain, he made eight saves against Argentina, including key stops from Messi.
Argentina move into the last 16, but this was far from comfortable. Cape Verde leave the tournament defeated, yet their fearless performance earned admiration across the football world.
