Argentina Defeats Cape Verde 3-2 in Extra Time to Reach FIFA World Cup 2026 Round of 16

Kathmandu.  Defending champions Argentina secured a place in the Round of 16 by defeating Cape Verde 3-2 in extra time in the FIFA World Cup 2026.

The match, held at Miami Stadium, was extremely exciting, with the regular 90 minutes ending in a 1-1 draw, pushing the game into extra time. An own goal by Cape Verde's Diney Borges towards the end of extra time became the decisive factor in Argentina's victory.

Argentina took the lead in the 29th minute with a goal from captain Lionel Messi. However, in the 59th minute, Deroy Duarte scored the equalizer, bringing the game to a 1-1 state.

In the 92nd minute of extra time, Lisandro Martinez scored to give Argentina a 2-1 lead again. But in the 103rd minute, Sidney Cabral scored to bring Cape Verde back to a 2-2 draw.

As the game was heading towards a penalty shootout, an own goal by Cape Verde's Diney Borges occurred in the 111th minute of extra time. That goal became the decisive goal for Argentina's victory.

Cape Verde, ranked 59th, gave a tough challenge to Argentina, ranked second in the world rankings, until the end. Despite being defeated, Cape Verde, which performed excellently throughout the tournament, managed to garner praise from fans for its courageous play.

With this victory, Argentina has secured a place in the Round of 16, where it will compete against Egypt.