Argentina Survive Cape Verde Scare in Five-Goal World Cup Thriller to Reach Round of 16

Argentina booked their place in the 2026 FIFA World Cup Round of 16 after edging past a fearless Cape Verde side 3-2 in an unforgettable extra-time thriller on Friday night.

Widely expected to progress comfortably, the reigning world champions instead found themselves pushed to the limit by tournament debutants Cape Verde, who produced one of the most courageous performances of the competition.

Lionel Messi gave Argentina the lead in the first half with yet another World Cup goal, but Cape Verde refused to back down. Deroy Duarte restored parity before the African nation stunned the favourites again with another equaliser in extra time, setting up a dramatic finale.

Just when penalties appeared inevitable, Argentina found the decisive breakthrough in the 111th minute. Cristian Romero's towering header took a decisive deflection off Diney Borges before finding the net, sealing a dramatic 3-2 victory for Lionel Scaloni's side.

Despite the defeat, Cape Verde won admirers across the football world. Goalkeeper Vozinha produced several outstanding saves, while the team's disciplined defending and fearless counter-attacking exposed rare vulnerabilities in the Argentine defence throughout the 120-minute contest.

Messi's goal also saw him extend his remarkable World Cup scoring streak and strengthen his lead in the race for the tournament's Golden Boot, underlining his continued importance to Argentina's title defence.

Argentina now advance to the Round of 16, where they will face Egypt, but their dramatic escape serves as a warning that no knockout tie at this World Cup can be taken for granted. Cape Verde, meanwhile, leave the tournament with immense pride after proving they can compete with the very best on football's biggest stage.