The Argentina national team qualified for the Round of 16 of the 2026 World Cup with extreme difficulty, after clinching its thrilling match against Cape Verde with a score of three goals to two.
The match, which extended into extra time within the Round of 32 competition, witnessed great drama and fluctuating results, as defending champions Argentina struggled to overcome their stubborn opponent.
Argentina’s task was by no means easy, despite the expectations favoring a comfortable victory. The Cape Verde team showed fierce defense and offense, delivering an outstanding performance that surprised the world champions.
The two teams exchanged attacks and goals, with star Lionel Messi opening the scoring for Argentina in the 29th minute, but Cape Verde quickly responded to equalize through Diro Duarte in the 59th minute, forcing the Albiceleste to exert double effort.
After regular time ended in a draw, the match proceeded to extra time, where Argentina took the lead again with a goal scored by Lisandro Martinez in the 92nd minute.
However, the excitement did not stop there; Sydney Cabral succeeded in bringing Cape Verde back into the match by scoring the second equalizer in the 103rd minute, putting the game on the brink of penalty kicks.
In the 111th minute, just moments before the final whistle, defender Cristian Romero snatched the precious winning goal for Argentina with a header that deflected off Cape Verde defender Dini Borges’s hand, deciding Argentina’s qualification to the Round of 16 in the 2026 World Cup.
With this marathon victory, Messi and his teammates have set a date with the Egypt national team in the Round of 16, in a highly anticipated match to be held at Atlanta Stadium next Tuesday.
