Argentina vs 03.07.26 22:003 – 2After ET
Cape Verde Islands — World Cup: stats, lineups & analysis
Match report
Argentina survive extra-time scare to beat Cape Verde Islands 3-2
Argentina reached the last 16 of the World Cup with a 3-2 win after extra time over Cape Verde Islands at Hard Rock Stadium, in a Round of 32 tie that swung four times before an own goal finally settled it. Lionel Messi's first-half strike had appeared to set Argentina on course for a routine passage, but Cape Verde Islands refused to yield.
AI-assisted match report written from official match data.
Messi opened the scoring in the 29th minute, converting after Lisandro Martínez had teed him up, and Argentina held that lead through half-time. Deroy Duarte levelled for Cape Verde Islands in the 59th minute, finishing off a Ryan Mendes assist, and the scoreline stayed level through the remainder of normal time, sending the tie into extra periods.
Martínez turned provider into scorer deep into stoppage time, netting in the 93rd minute from an Alexis Mac Allister assist to restore Argentina's advantage, only for Sidny Lopes Cabral to drag Cape Verde Islands level again in the 103rd minute after a Yannick Semedo assist. The decisive moment arrived in the 111th minute when Diney Borges turned the ball into his own net, handing Argentina a 3-2 win after extra time.
Argentina dominated territorially throughout, controlling 64 percent of possession and outshooting their opponents 22 to 16, with 10 efforts on target compared to five for Cape Verde Islands. That superiority was reflected in the expected-goals numbers, with Argentina generating 2.16 to Cape Verde Islands' 0.45, though the underdogs' resilience in front of goal kept the contest alive deep into extra time.
Messi scored the opener and finished with a rating of 9.3, while Martínez matched him for influence with a goal and an assist as Argentina's extra-time match-winner.
Argentina's control was evident in their 64 percent share of possession, more than double that of Cape Verde Islands.
Argentina beat Cape Verde Islands 3–2 (half-time 1–0).
Argentina met Cape Verde Islands in the World Cup (Round of 32). Kick-off was Friday, 3 July 2026, 22:00 UTC at Hard Rock Stadium. Referee: Drew Fischer.
Team pages: Argentina · Cape Verde Islands · World Cup
Key moments
- 29' Goal: Lionel Messi (assist: Lisandro Martínez) — 1–0 · Watch Lionel Messi's goal video (29')
- 59' Goal: Deroy Duarte (assist: Ryan Mendes) — 1–1 · Watch Deroy Duarte's goal video (59')
- 93' Goal: Lisandro Martínez (assist: Alexis Mac Allister) — 2–1 · Watch Lisandro Martínez's goal video (93')
- 103' Goal: Sidny Lopes Cabral (assist: Yannick Semedo) — 2–2 · Watch Sidny Lopes Cabral's goal video (103')
- 111' Goal (own goal): Diney Borges — 3–2 · Watch Diney Borges's goal video (111')
Starting line-ups
Argentina (4-4-2)
Cape Verde Islands (4-1-4-1)
- 1 Vózinha
- 13 Sidny Lopes Cabral
- 3 Diney Borges
- 4 Pico
- 22 Steven Moreira
- 6 Kevin Pina
- 7 Jovane Cabral
- 14 Deroy Duarte
- 15 Laros Duarte
- 20 Ryan Mendes (c)
- 21 Nuno da Costa
What the press said
Argentina beat Cape Verde 3-2 in extra-time to set up a R16 tie with Egypt. Leo Messi now with a World Cup high 20 goals. Unbelievable effort (and tournament) by Cape Verde which included a stunning Sidny Lopes Cabral strike.🇨🇻 https://t.co/uGvoamzobZ
❤️ 731open on X ↗
About this match
On this page: the Argentina vs Cape Verde Islands final score and result, goal highlights and video clips of every goal, who scored, starting lineups, match stats and the full match report from this World Cup fixture.
- Who scored and when — a goal-by-goal timeline of the match.
- Match stats — possession, shots, expected goals (xG), corners and cards.
- Starting lineups and player ratings for both teams.
- Head-to-head record and recent form for both sides.
- Watch Lionel Messi's goal against Cape Verde Islands (29').
- Watch Deroy Duarte's goal against Argentina (59').
- Watch Lisandro Martínez's goal against Cape Verde Islands (93').
- Watch Sidny Lopes Cabral's goal against Argentina (103').
- Watch Diney Borges's own goal video (111').
Watch the goals: goal highlights and video clips of every goal from Argentina 3–2 Cape Verde Islands. Explore more on the Argentina and Cape Verde Islands team pages or the World Cup page.
Quick answers
›What was the final score of Argentina vs Cape Verde Islands?
Argentina beat Cape Verde Islands 3–2 (half-time 1–0).
›Who scored in Argentina vs Cape Verde Islands?
Lionel Messi (29') for Argentina; Deroy Duarte (59') for Cape Verde Islands; Lisandro Martínez (93') for Argentina; Sidny Lopes Cabral (103') for Cape Verde Islands; Diney Borges (111') (own goal) for Argentina.
›Where can I watch Argentina vs Cape Verde Islands highlights?
Goal highlights and video clips from Argentina 3–2 Cape Verde Islands are on this page — open the videos tab to watch every goal.