Argentina survive Cape Verde scare to reach World Cup last 16

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Argentina were given a huge scare before ending Cape Verde’s fairytale run as Lionel Messi netted his 20th World Cup goal in a 3-2 win after extra-time to reach the last 16.

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Messi’s sublime control and finish for his seventh goal at this tournament in four games put the defending champions in command, but the Blue Sharks doggedly refused to go away.

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Deroy Duarte’s strike on the hour mark forced Argentina to expand more energy than they would have wanted in the sapping Miami heat.

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Lisandro Martinez briefly restored Argentina’s lead early in extra time before Sidny Lopes Cabral’s stunning shot rocketed into the top corner.

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Another Argentina corner finally got the job done when Cristian Romero rose highest to head Messi’s corner, the ball going in off a deflection from Diney Borges for an own goal.

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La Albiceleste will face Egypt on Tuesday in Atlanta, but there were concerns for Lionel Scaloni on his 100th match in charge despite what appears a favourable draw.

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Scaloni said it “would have been madness” to lose to the underdogs.

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“A very tough match; you always have to take the positives—this team (Argentina) never gives up,” he said.

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“We have to congratulate the opponent. When people say there are no easy opponents, they proved today that they are a great team,” he added.

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“We finished very tired… they gave it their all.”

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Cape Verde had served warning of what they were capable of by holding European champions Spain, Uruguay and Saudi Arabia to draws in Group H to reach the knockout stages in their first World Cup appearance.

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The Blue Sharks coach Bubista said the meeting with the world champions would be “the game of our lives”, and it showed in a spirited display that had Argentina sweating.

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On his return to the city where he plays his club football for Inter Miami, Messi’s every move was greeted like a god by the nearly 65,000 crowd, mainly in Argentina shirts.

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Moments of magic

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The 39-year-old produced a moment of magic with a feather-like touch from Lisandro Martinez’s pass to set up a high finish past Vozinha to open the scoring.

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In doing so Messi also extended his own record of scoring in eight consecutive World Cup games and opened up a two-goal cushion once more over France’s Kylian Mbappe in the battle to be the competition’s all-time top goalscorer.

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Emi Martinez had been a spectator in the first half, but the Aston Villa goalkeeper was forced into a smart save by Duarte as Cape Verde started the second period with more attacking intent.

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Martinez was powerless for the equaliser moments later when Duarte was picked out by Ryan Mendes and rifled a low shot into the far corner.

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Cape Verde’s 40-year-old goalkeeper Vozinha became an internet sensation after his man-of-the-match showing against Spain last month.

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His nearly 18 million Instagram followers will have enjoyed him winning a one-on-one battle with Messi when the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner seemed certain to restore Argentina’s lead.

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Irish-born Pico Lopes was next to be a Cape Verdean hero with a crucial intervention to deny Enzo Fernández a tap-in after more inspiration from Messi created an opening.

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Lisandro Martinez’s rising drive after a corner fell the Manchester United defender’s way two minutes into extra-time looked to have swung the momentum decisively in Argentina’s favour once more.

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But again Cape Verde refused to bow and levelled with one of the goals of the tournament when Lopes Cabral smashed into the top corner.

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The full-back ran off into the stands to celebrate with his partner.

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Elsewhere around the crowd, the boisterous atmosphere that had accompanied most of the evening gave way to nervous tension as penalties approached.

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Scaloni could only wipe his furrowed brow with relief when Messi’s corner was turned in for an own goal by the unfortunate Borges.

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Yet an exhausted Argentina still had to ride their luck from a Cape Verde onslaught in the final seconds.

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Emi Martinez this time won the battle with Lopes Cabral by tipping over another sweet strike that was headed for the top corner.

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AFP

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