Argentina Triumphs Over Cape Verde 3-2, Advances to World Cup Round of 16

In Miami Gardens, Florida, Argentina secured a thrilling 3-2 victory over Cape Verde, advancing to the World Cup Round of 16. The match’s pivotal moment came when an own-goal in the 111th minute, credited to Cape Verde’s Diney Borges after a header from Argentina’s Cristian Romero, sealed the win for Argentina.

Lionel Messi opened the scoring early in regulation, marking his 20th World Cup career goal. Lisandro Martinez added to Argentina’s lead in the 103rd minute, setting the score at 2-1. However, Cape Verde kept the competition fierce with equalizers from Sidny Lopes Cabral and Deroy Duarte, stunning the pro-Argentina crowd gathered in South Florida.

Argentina’s Lionel Messi was seen celebrating after the World Cup Round of 32 match against Cape Verde on Friday, July 3, 2026, in Miami Gardens, Florida. Argentina claimed victory in extra time.

Following this intense match, Argentina will face Egypt in the next round, scheduled to take place in Atlanta, after Egypt’s victory over Australia in a penalty shootout.

Cape Verde’s World Cup debut will be remembered for its unexpected success. The tiny island nation, located off Africa’s western coast, surprised many by reaching the knockout stage. Key to their performance was the veteran goalkeeper Vozinha, aged 40, who helped secure draws against significant teams like Spain, Uruguay, and Saudi Arabia.

Vozinha’s stellar performance included 10 saves against Argentina, five of which came from shots by Messi. Despite these efforts, Messi added to his impressive World Cup record, scoring after a precise pass from Martinez. This goal increased Argentina’s lead to 1-0 in the 29th minute. His goal tally in this tournament reached seven, surpassing France’s Kylian Mbappé in the Golden Boot race.

Messi’s goal not only set Argentina ahead but also extended his World Cup scoring record, now standing two goals ahead of Mbappé on the all-time list. He maintains a remarkable streak, with 12 goals over eight matches in this tournament.