MIAMI GARDENS — Argentina is a soccer giant. It has won 16 Copa Americas as the best team in South America and three World Cups — including the most recent one in 2022. It has arguably the best player in history, Lionel Messi, on its team.
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Cape Verde has never advanced past the quarterfinals of the African Cup of Nations. This is its first-ever appearance in a World Cup.
For 110 minutes, the two teams were inseparable.
Argentina survived the massive upset attempt, with Argentina scoring on an own goal off a corner in the second period of extra time, to beat Cape Verde 3-2 at Miami Stadium (Hard Rock Stadium). The win sends Argentina to the Round of 16 after Cape Verde’s near upset.
“I’m very proud of what we did throughout this tournament,” Cape Verde coach Pedro Leitão Brito, known as Bubista, said. “I think more so than just playing … this was about showing the world our identity. Ours was a team that throughout the entire tournament, for as long as we were here, we wanted to play and we wanted to play against the best teams in the world.”
Bubista added: “More than just playing, (the players) showed what our country is about.”
The stadium was packed with Argentina fans, who took up nearly all of the seats at a packed Miami Stadium for the shocking match. The announced attendance was 64,478.
“I hope they enjoyed it,” Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni said regarding the fans in the stadium and around the world, “and I hope they can get some drinks to relax a bit.”
Messi, the Inter Miami megastar, nearly scored his first goal in the first 15 minutes after a shot rolled just wide of the goal. He had another opportunity with a dangerous free kick in the 18th minute, but the ball sailed right to Cape Verde goalkeeper Vozinha.
Messi got the goal he was looking for in the 29th minute. Lisandro Martinez made a long pass to him as the Inter Miami standout snuck behind the Cape Verde back line. He handled the ball deftly and flicked it over Vozinha from close range.
The goal was Messi’s World Cup-leading seventh goal of the tournament.
Cape Verde had several attempts where it attacked Argentina’s defense. But it took until the 54th minute for Cape Verde to get its first shot on goal.
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In the 59th minute, the World Cup underdogs known as the Blue Sharks struck. Captain Ryan Mendes took the ball out wide and delivered it to Deroy Duarte, who fired it past Argentine keeper Emiliano Martinez at close range to tie the game at one in the 59th minute.
Vozinha, the 40-year-old keeper who gained worldwide fame for his stellar performance in a draw against Spain, made two stellar saves to preserve the tie in the second half: one on a point-blank shot from Messi, and the other on a short Messi free kick. He made another save on a Messi free kick in stoppage time.
Argentina, encouraged by the crowd, had several dangerous attempts on goal over the next 30 minutes. Despite its opportunities, it could not get a winner in regulation.
Early in extra time, Argentina received a corner kick, and Martinez was able to direct a rebounded ball past Vozinha for the go-ahead goal.
That goal likely appeared to many to be the winner, but Cape Verde had other plans. Defender Sidny Lopes Cabral scored a stunning goal in the 103rd minute to tie the game at two.
“We were able to show our resilience,” Bubista said.
Sidny Lopes Cabral with an ABSOLUTE GOLAZO to bring Cape Verde level with Argentina in extra time 😱
INCREDIBLE SCENES pic.twitter.com/ox1DColGJv
— FOX Sports (@FOXSports) July 4, 2026
Argentina got a corner kick early in the second period of extra time, and Messi delivered a well-placed ball to Romero, whose header ended up as a game-winning own goal on Cape Verde’s Diney Borges. Martinez had to make a stellar save to keep a game-tying goal out of the net on a free kick.
“We never gave in, and neither did the opponent,” Scaloni said. “But we took the victory at the end, and we need to remember this. We had a few blows, and we always went for the victory, and this is more important than anything else.”
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