Argentina Eliminates Cabo Verde, Final Match Stats, Highlights & Updated World Cup 2026 Bracket

Argentina survived one of the most dramatic FIFA men's World Cup knockout-round games in recent memory.

Lionel Messi and Co. beat Cape Verde 3-2 in a back-and-forth affair that ended the Cinderella story of the 2026 tournament.

Match Stats

	Shots	Shots on Goal	Corners	Fouls
Argentina	22	10	8	13
Cape Verde	16	5	8	12

Argentina needed 120 minutes to finally eliminate Cape Verde.

Lionel Messi's corner kick in the 111th minute found Cristian Romero and the ball found the back of the net for the game-winning goal. It was eventually ruled as an own goal.

Argentina's third goal ended a wild 30 minutes of extra time in which the two teams traded goals.

Lisandro Martinez scored two minutes into extra time to give Argentina a 2-1 lead.

However, Cape Verde fought back through an otherworldly strike from Sidny Lopes Cabral in the 103rd minute.

Cape Verde took the game to Argentina in stretches, including on the 59th minute equalizer scored by Deroy Duarte.

Messi netted his 20th-career World Cup goal to open the scoring in the 29th minute, a goal that many thought would open a scoring barrage.

Argentina finished with 22 shots, 10 of which were on target. Cape Verde goalkeeper Vozinha made seven saves, a handful of which were of the highlight-reel variety.

Argentina's win advanced it to the round of 16 against Egypt, who won on penalty kicks earlier on Friday. The two sides will meet on Tuesday with a quarterfinal berth on the line.