Argentina captain Lionel Messi praised Cape Verde after his team’s dramatic 3-2 extra-time victory in the FIFA World Cup Round of 32. Messi said Argentina expected a difficult contest and never underestimated their determined opponents.
Speaking after the match, Messi said his team knew Cape Verde would provide a serious challenge. He pointed out that the African side had already shown its quality by avoiding defeats against Spain and Uruguay. According to the Argentine captain, those results proved Cape Verde deserved respect.
Messi said Argentina made the perfect start by scoring the opening goal. However, he admitted the match did not become easier after taking the lead. Instead, Argentina struggled to control possession and failed to apply effective pressure, allowing Cape Verde to play to its strengths.
He also highlighted the competitive nature of the knockout stage. Messi said every match in the tournament is difficult because no team gives away easy victories. He added that the World Cup has been closely contested, making every game challenging regardless of the rankings.
Despite securing qualification, Messi said Argentina still has several areas to improve. He praised his teammates for their effort but admitted the team made many mistakes during the match. He stressed that the focus now should be on recovery, reviewing the performance, and preparing for the next challenge.
The match featured exciting moments from both teams. Ranked 67th in the world, Cape Verde matched top-ranked Argentina for long periods and pushed the defending champions to extra time.
Messi opened the scoring in the 29th minute with a composed finish. He controlled a pass from Lisandro Martinez with the outside of his boot before beating goalkeeper Vozinha. The goal was his seventh of the tournament and his 20th in World Cup history. It also extended his record by scoring in eight consecutive World Cup matches.
Cape Verde responded strongly after the break. Deroy Duarte equalised just before the hour mark after receiving a pass from captain Ryan Mendes. The score remained 1-1 at the end of normal time, forcing the game into extra time.
Argentina regained the lead in the 92nd minute when Lisandro Martinez finished from a corner delivered by Messi. Cape Verde refused to give up and levelled again in the 103rd minute. Sidny Lopes Cabral scored with a powerful curling effort into the top corner to make it 2-2.
The decisive goal arrived in the 111th minute. Messi delivered another dangerous corner, Cristian Romero headed the ball toward goal, and it deflected off Cape Verde defender Diney Borges for an own goal.
The victory extended Argentina’s unbeaten run to 11 matches, the longest winning streak in the team’s history. Messi also strengthened his position in the Golden Boot race with seven tournament goals, staying ahead of Kylian Mbappé, who has six.
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Argentina will now face Egypt national football team in the Round of 16 after Egypt defeated Australia in a penalty shootout. The knockout fixture is scheduled to be played in Atlanta on Tuesday.
