Argentina vs Cabo Verde FIFA World Cup Match Result: Argentina survived scare from Cabo Verde in classic extra time

Defending champions Argentina faced a fierce challenge but managed to beat Cape Verde with a thrilling 3-2 extra-time win to earn a place in the World Cup round of 16. (AP Photo) Defending champions Argentina survived an almighty scare to secure a breathtaking 3-2 extra-time victory over debutants Cape Verde on Saturday to book their place in the last 16 of the World Cup after an epic battle that pushed the reigning kings to their absolute limits.The Blue Sharks, a small island nation off the coast of West Africa, played out a scenario made for folklore and refused to buckle under the weight of a pro-Argentina crowd in South Florida. It took a cruel 111th-minute own goal to finally break their hold as Cristiano Romero’s lashing header deflected off Cape Verde’s Diney Borges into the net to seal La Albiceleste’s ticket to the quarter-finals.Earlier it was the peerless Lionel Messi who set the stadium on fire in the 29th minute. Messi, sprinting behind the defence, latched on to a lofted pass from Lisandro Martínez, took a superb first touch and finished clinically into the net. The strike marked Messi’s record-extending 20th career World Cup goal and catapulted him to the top of the Golden Boot race with seven goals at the tournament, ahead of France’s Kylian Mbappé.However, Cape Verde’s fairytale run, anchored by the heroic performance of 10 saves by the 40-year-old goalkeeper Vozinha, was far from over. Deroy Duarte stunned the holders with a smart equalizer in regulation time. As extra time began, Lisandro Martínez briefly restored Argentina’s lead in the 103rd minute, but Sidny Lopes Cabral responded almost immediately with a stunning equalizer that left the stadium in utter disbelief.The Championship eventually delivered Argentina in chaos, sustained by late goalkeeping heroics to deny Cape Verde’s desperate surge in the dying seconds.As the African debutants bow out after a historic campaign that included stunning group stage results against Spain and Uruguay, Argentina march on. The world champions now head to Atlanta on Tuesday for a high-profile last-16 clash against Egypt, who progressed after beating Australia in a penalty shoot-out.