Argentina eliminated Cape Verde on a night of tension and nervousness in Miami
The Albiceleste found themselves against a tough rival, who had already demonstrated their credentials against Cape Verde and Uruguay
Lionel Messi's Argentina suffered, but finally defeated Cape Verde 3-2 this Friday in Miami to qualify for the round of 16 of the 2026 World Cup, where they will face the Egyptian team.
A goal by Lionel Messi in the 29th minute of regulation time with a long pass from Lisandro Martínez opened the scoring when the South American team looked thick in its offensive attempts. The effective control of the tournament's top scorer and a finish towards the roof of the goal defeated goalkeeper Vozinha, one of the figures of the day.
The current world champion suffered more than necessary due to a strong Cape Verdean approach and the goal scored by Deroy Duarte in the 59th minute, when the team led by Bubista dared to step onto the rival field, surprising Argentina.
However, the name of Lisandro Martínez would appear again in the history of the party. When the first extra time of extra time was being played, a corner kick found Martínez free in the area, with time to settle in and finish with a violent left foot shot that broke the African wall.
Sidny Lopes Cabral, at 103', added an additional touch of nervousness to the match after a tremendous right hand from the left edge of the area that settled in the corner of the frame defended by Dibu Martínez.
The whole drama came to a head when, in the 111th minute, a Messi corner found Cuti Romero in the area, who sent the ball into the back of the net with the help of a deflection off his defender's hand.
The Argentines will now think about Egypt ahead of next Tuesday, July 7 in Atlanta, when the round of 16 of the World Cup will be played.