Argentina advanced to the round of 16 at the World Cup after a hard-fought 3-2 victory over Cape Verde in an intense match that extended into extra time. The encounter took place in Miami and tested the reigning champions against a resilient underdog side that twice leveled the score, pushing Argentina to their limits in sweltering conditions.

Lionel Messi opened the scoring just before the half-hour mark, slotting the ball past Cape Verde’s goalkeeper Vozinha at the near post. This goal marked another milestone for the Argentine captain, who became the first player to net 20 goals in World Cup tournaments. At 39 years old and participating in his sixth World Cup, Messi has now scored in eight consecutive World Cup matches and is the only player to have scored in every round of the competition. His tally places him two goals ahead of Kylian Mbappe on the all-time scoring list, and he remains the only player to have scored at least seven goals in two separate World Cups.

Despite Messi’s early advantage, Cape Verde—known as the Blue Sharks—demonstrated remarkable resilience. Deroy Duarte equalized on the hour mark, forcing Argentina into a more strenuous battle as they contended with the heat and the persistent challenge posed by the smaller nation.

The match entered extra time with the score tied at 2-2 after Lisandro Martinez briefly restored Argentina’s lead early in the added period but was soon countered by a spectacular strike from Sidny Lopes Cabral, who fired a shot into the top corner to level the match once more.

As the threat of a penalty shootout loomed, Argentina finally secured their win in the 111th minute. Cristian Romero connected with a corner delivered by Messi, and the ball took a fortunate deflection off Diney Borges, resulting in an own goal that sealed the victory for the defending champions.

With this result, Argentina confirmed their place in the round of 16, where they will face Egypt in their next match. Head coach Lionel Scaloni expressed relief at avoiding what he described as a potentially disastrous outcome against an unexpected threat in Cape Verde. The victory underscores Argentina’s resilience and ability to overcome adversity, even as Messi continues to rewrite the record books.