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Argentina Beats Cape Verde 3-2, Messi Hits 20th WC Goal

7/4/2026

Summary

Argentina Advances

Argentina beat Cape Verde 3-2 after extra time in Miami Gardens, Florida, to reach the World Cup round of 16.
Lionel Messi opened scoring in the 29th minute, his seventh of the tournament, raising his World Cup total to a record 20 goals.
Lisandro Martínez’s extra-time goal and Cristian Romero’s 111th-minute own goal together secured Argentina’s win.
Argentina’s win sets up a round-of-16 match against Egypt in Atlanta on July 7.

Summary

Duarte Equalises

Deroy Duarte scored an equaliser that sparked nationwide excitement across Cape Verde’s 500,000-resident island after the extra-time battle.
Goalkeeper José "Vozinha" Lima made key saves that kept Argentina at bay and earned praise from African media.
The near-upset raised Cape Verde’s global profile and prompted a wave of pride-filled social-media messages.
Local businesses reported a surge in national-team merchandise sales following the match.

Summary

Romero Scores

Cristian Romero headed Lionel Messi’s corner in extra time, giving Argentina the lead with under ten minutes left, his first scoring contribution after an earlier own-goal against Cape Verde.
After equalising, Cape Verde forward ran into the stands, hugged a fan and brushed past security, a scene that showed the team’s bond with Miami’s Cape Verde diaspora.
Commentators later questioned stadium security policies on player-fan interactions during World Cup matches.

History

Historical Context

In 2002 Senegal, debuting at the World Cup, stunned defending champions France 1-0 and became the first African side to reach the quarter-finals, a feat later matched by only three other nations. The 2024 extra-time win of Argentina over Cape Verde in Miami echoes that upset, showing how smaller nations can still shape global tournaments.

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Argentina Advances

Argentina beat Cape Verde 3-2 after extra time in Miami Gardens, Florida, to reach the World Cup round of 16.
Lionel Messi opened scoring in the 29th minute, his seventh of the tournament, raising his World Cup total to a record 20 goals.
Lisandro Martínez’s extra-time goal and Cristian Romero’s 111th-minute own goal together secured Argentina’s win.
Argentina’s win sets up a round-of-16 match against Egypt in Atlanta on July 7.

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