Leo Messi hits 20th World Cup goal as Argentina survived Cape Verde in R32

ByKehinde-Hassan Afolabi

Defending champions Argentina survived a monumental scare from a resilient Cape Verde side, winning 3-2 in extra time as Lionel Messi reached an unprecedented 20 career World Cup goals to book a Round of 16 meeting with Egypt.

Reigning world champions Argentina narrowly averted an historic upset by defeating tournament debutants Cape Verde 3-2 after extra time in a captivating Round of 32 clash in Miami.

Lionel Messi opened the scoring early with his historic 20th career World Cup goal, but the relentless African nation equalized twice through Deroy Duarte and a spectacular, curling strike from Sidny Lopes Cabral.

The resilient Blue Sharks were ultimately undone in the 111th minute when an unfortunate own goal off Diney Borges handed the South American giants a hard-fought victory.

Supported by an outstanding ten-save performance from veteran goalkeeper Vozinha, Cape Verde earned global admiration for their courageous display. Argentina now advances to face Mohamed Salah’s Egypt in an upcoming Round of 16 encounter.

Kehinde-Hassan Afolabi is a football journalist whose deep tactical understanding of the game makes him a standout, captivating audiences across print, audio, and video. His poetic background brings a unique rhythm and depth to his work, seamlessly transforming analysis into artistry. With a knack for narration and research, he captures the drama of the game beyond tactics and statistics, making each piece of his; a compelling blend of insight and storytelling.

Similar Posts

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *