Messi leads Argentina past Cape Verde in extra-time World Cup thriller

Lionel Messi scored in the 29th minute and Argentina still needed extra time, an own goal and another tense finish to beat Cape Verde 3-2 at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida. The reigning champions advanced to the World Cup Round of 16, but not before the debuting island nation dragged the match into a broader conversation about how narrow the gap has become at the top of the tournament.

Argentina looked in control after Messi struck for his 20th career World Cup goal, but Cape Verde refused to fold. Sidny Lopes Cabral answered to level the match and keep the African side within reach through regulation, turning what had started as a familiar knockout assignment for Argentina into a night of unease for a team carrying heavy expectations. By the end of 90 minutes, the score was 1-1 and the champions were being forced deeper into extra time than many had expected.

The decisive moment came in the 111th minute, when Cristian Romero’s header deflected off Diney Borges and was credited as an own goal to send Argentina through. The finish capped a 3-2 result that felt far tighter than the bracket suggested and left Argentina with another reminder that even with Messi driving the attack, control can evaporate quickly in knockout football. Messi entered the match with seven goals in the tournament, one more than France’s Kylian Mbappé in the Golden Boot race, adding another layer to a game already carrying weight beyond the scoreline.

For Cape Verde, the loss did little to diminish a run that had already rewritten part of World Cup history. The team reached the knockout stage in its first World Cup appearance, becoming the smallest nation ever to get that far and the first debutant to reach the knockout phase in 20 years. Argentina now moves on to face Egypt in Atlanta on July 7, while Cape Verde leaves with a result that altered the tone of the tournament and put established powers on notice.