⚽ FIFA World Cup 2026 · Round of 32
Argentina
ARG
Full time
1-1
3-2 (aet)
Cape Verde
CPV
2026-07-03 · Miami Gardens
The verdict“The world champions needed extra time, a Romero header and a lot of luck to survive tournament debutants Cape Verde, in the wildest, most nerve-shredding escape of the round.”
The Performance Review
Argentina survived an almighty scare to beat Cape Verde 3-2 after extra time. Lionel Messi opened the scoring in the first half, extending his record to eight consecutive World Cup matches with a goal, before Deroy Duarte leveled to drag the tie into extra time. There, Lisandro Martinez headed Argentina back in front from a corner, Sidny Lopes Cabral curled in a stunning equalizer for 2-2, and Cristian Romero nodded the winner from a Messi corner to spare the champions' blushes.
The roast is that the reigning champions made desperately hard work of a nation playing its first ever World Cup. Argentina had 15 shots, needed Emiliano Martinez to make big saves, and were extra-time minutes from the upset of the tournament before a set piece rescued them. For a squad this decorated, being taken to the wire by the Blue Sharks is as much a warning as a celebration.
The bright side is that it was gloriously entertaining and the champions found a way, which is exactly what champions do. Messi keeps rewriting the record books, Romero delivered when it mattered, and Argentina march on to face Egypt in the last 16. Cape Verde, on their debut, leave as the neutral's favourite team having very nearly made history.
The VAR Tax
A wild, end to end classic that mostly kept the officials out of it. The drama came from the football, five goals and a debutant nearly toppling the champions, not the review screen, which for once was a welcome change.
Who Got Burned
Cape Verde, agonisingly. The Blue Sharks, at their first ever World Cup, went toe to toe with the world champions, equalized twice, and were extra-time minutes from the shock of the tournament before Romero's header broke their hearts. Also on notice: Argentina's defence, which let a debutant nation score twice and turned a routine night into a nervy survival act.
The Bright Side
Cape Verde announced themselves to the planet: a debutant nation that made the world champions sweat for 120 minutes and scored two beautiful goals doing it. For Argentina the bright side is the result and the reminder that they can win ugly, plus a Messi who simply refuses to stop scoring, now on eight consecutive World Cup matches with a goal.
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