Argentina edge Cape Verde: holders survive 3-2 extra-time epic; Messi tops Golden Boot race

Defending champions Argentina survived an almighty scare to secure a breathless 3-2 extra-time victory over debutants Cape Verde on Saturday, booking their spot in the World Cup Round of 16 after an epic battle that pushed the reigning kings to their absolute limits.The Blue Sharks, a tiny island nation off the West African coast, played out a script destined for folklore, refusing to buckle under the weight of the pro-Argentina crowd in South Florida. It took a cruel 111th-minute own-goal to finally shatter their resistance when a thumping Cristian Romero header deflected off Cape Verde’s Diney Borges into the net, sealing a pre quarter-final ticket for La Albiceleste.Earlier, it was the peerless Lionel Messi who ignited the stadium in the 29th minute. Sprinting behind the defense, Messi latched onto a lofted pass from Lisandro Martínez, took a sublime first touch, and hammered a clinical finish into the roof of the net. The strike marked Messi’s record-extending 20th career World Cup goal, catapulting him to the top of the Golden Boot race with seven goals this tournament, ahead of France’s Kylian Mbappé.Yet, Cape Verde’s fairy-tale run, anchored by a heroic 10-save performance from 40-year-old goalkeeper Vozinha was far from over. Deroy Duarte stunned the holders with a clever equalizer in regulation time. When extra-time commenced, Lisandro Martínez briefly restored Argentina’s lead in the 103rd minute, only for Sidny Lopes Cabral to answer back almost immediately with a stunning equalizer that left the stadium in utter disbelief.Ultimately, championship grit carried Argentina through the chaos, preserved by late goalkeeper heroics to deny a desperate Cape Verde surge in the final seconds.While the African debutants bow out after a historic campaign that included jaw-dropping group-stage results against Spain and Uruguay, Argentina march on. The world champions now head to Atlanta on Tuesday for a high-stakes Round of 16 clash against Egypt, who advanced after edging Australia in a penalty shootout.Get the latest Sports News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.