Messi Fires Argentina Past Brave Cape Verde to Reach Round of 16

Argentina have advanced to the Round of 16 of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, but not without an almighty scare from Cape Verde who suffered a 3-2 defeat in extra time to the holders at Miami Stadium on Friday.

Lionel Messi scored his 7th goal of the tournament in the 29th minute with a quality finish, after Lisandro Martinez played a brilliant ball over the top to find Messi making a back shoulder run into the right channel, before lifting the ball over Vozinha and into the roof of the net. That took his tally to 20 career World Cup goals and eight straight World Cup games with a goal a record.

Cape Verde recorded shocker in the 59th minute as Deroy Duarte slammed home past Emiliano Martinez to level the scores. Lisandro Martinez then restored Argentina’s advantage just two minutes into extra time, but Cape Verde’s Sidny Lopes Cabral responded with a stunning strike from the edge of the penalty area in the 103rd minute.

Argentina’s late winner was initially ruled a Cristian Romero goal before being changed to an own goal by Cape Verde’s Diney Borges, bringing an end to a fairytale World Cup campaign for the Blue Sharks.

Cape Verde, now ranked 64th in the world against the defending champions, fought back from a goal down, not once but twice and looked every bit Argentina’s equals as the game wore on.

Argentina now face Egypt in the Round of 16 in Atlanta on July 7th.