Messi, Argentina survive massive Cape Verde scare in World Cup knockout
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On Friday, Argentina were looking to continue their quest for back-to-back World Cup titles and to achieve that they had to get past Cape Verde, one of the favorites of this year’s tournament.
The small island nation off the coast of West Africa came into the match ranked 64th in the world and they managed to hold Argentina, currently in second place behind France, goalless for almost thirty minutes.
However, the goal scored by Lionel Messi in the 29th minute put Argentina ahead.
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It was the 20th World Cup goal of his career and also made him the first player to score seven or more goals in multiple World Cups, as he also scored in Qatar.
This was also Messi’s eighth consecutive game with a goal in the World Cup.
Argentinian Lionel Messi scored in his eighth consecutive World Cup match, scoring the 20th World Cup goal of his career. (Photo: Pablo Morano/BSR Agency/Getty Images)
Typically they don’t cough it up when Argentina take the lead, but early in the second half Cape Verde’s Deroy Duarte scored a stunner to level the score at 1-1.
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There was some last-minute pressure from Argentina, however, including Messi’s always dangerous free-kick from just outside the penalty area, which Cape Verde managed to stop.
And with that, extra time was also called.
Cape Verde celebrates after scoring one of their two goals in the draw against Argentina. (Photo: Pablo Morano/BSR Agency/Getty Images)
But it only took a few minutes for Cape Verde to find themselves fighting from the back once again.
Lisandro Martinez found the rope in the 92nd minute and put Argentina ahead.
Apparently that was all he wrote… but Cape Verde had other plans.
They remained with the defending World Cup champions and Sidny Lopes Cabral scored an incredible goal in the 103rd minute to level the score again.
Coming into this match, Argentina had scored just two goals in their ten-match World Cup winning streak.
Cape Verde did this in one match.
Argentina’s Cristian Romero understands what the game-winning goal is. (Sam Navarro-Imagn Images)
But in the 111th minute, Messi received a corner kick from Argentina and sent the ball to the perfect spot for Cristian Romero to slot it in at the back post and into the net.
This was eventually updated to an own goal as it came off the arm of a Cape Verde defender, but it counts as the same on the scoreboard.
Despite recent opportunities, Argentina managed to pull off potentially the biggest upset in World Cup history.
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What a great match it was and what a run Cape Verde had in the tournament.
Argentina must now regroup and prepare for a tough Round of 16 match against Egypt in Atlanta on Tuesday.
