Cape VerdevsArgentina
CPV 2/ARG 3
Things to say
Argentina edged Cape Verde 3-2 after extra time at the Hard Rock Stadium.
01
opener
Argentina made hard work of that one. Cape Verde would not go away, dragged it to extra time. 3-2 in the end, but it was closer than it should've been.
02
key player
Messi still runs the show. Nine shots, half of Argentina's attack goes through his feet. Guy's ageless.
03
hot take
Honestly the real man of the match was Vozinha in the Cape Verde goal. Eight saves. Keep him out and this is a rout.
04
deep cut
Lisandro Martínez put up 116 accurate passes from the back. That's a keeper's number of touches, and Argentina still needed extra time.
05
exit
Anyway, that draw was never a draw. On to the next round, Argentina better tighten up or someone's gonna punish them.
The recap
Argentina were supposed to stroll this one, but Cape Verde had other ideas and dragged the favourites all the way to extra time at 2-2. Vozinha was standing on his head in the Cape Verde goal, pulling off eight saves and turning what should've been a comfortable night into a proper scare.
Messi kept hammering away with nine shots until the pressure finally told and Argentina found the winner in extra time to nick it 3-2. Give Cape Verde credit for a real go of it, but Argentina live to fight another day.