Argentina secured a spot in the World Cup Round of 16 after a thrilling 3-2 victory over Cape Verde on Friday in Miami. The reigning champions were pushed to extra time by the resilient island nation, which threatened to create one of the tournament's greatest upsets.
Lionel Messi opened the scoring and delivered a virtuoso display, though the match remained closely contested until the final minutes. The deadlock was eventually broken in the 111th minute when an own goal gave the champions the win.
Despite the victory, the performance reaffirmed perceptions that Argentina remains overly reliant on Messi. The reigning champions now move on to face Egypt in the last 16.