Messi's Touch, Argentina's Drama: Cape Verde Pushes Defending Champions to the Brink

Argentina survived a gutsy Cape Verde side in a Round of 32 thriller at Hard Rock Stadium, emerging 3-2 victors in front of 64,478 fans. Lionel Messi opened the scoring in the 29th minute, but the African underdogs refused to fold. Deroy Duarte leveled things up in the 59th, and when Sidny Lopes Cabral equalized again in the 103rd minute, Argentina faced a genuine upset scare. Lisandro Martínez restored the lead at the 92nd-minute mark, but it was an own goal by Diney Borges in the 111th that ultimately sealed Cape Verde's fate. Messi's early contribution set the tone, though the match belonged to a Cape Verde team that proved far more competitive than many predicted. Argentina advances, but questions linger about their defensive solidity heading deeper into the tournament.