Argentina vs Cabo Verde

Argentina kept their bid for back-to-back World Cup glory alive with a breathless 3-2 extra-time victory over Cape Verde in the Round of 32. The standout moment belonged to Lionel Messi, who broke the deadlock with his 20th career World Cup goal — a landmark strike in the 29th minute that extended his own record for consecutive games scoring to eight. Deroy Duarte pulled Cape Verde level in the 59th minute, stunning a packed Miami stadium. Lisandro Martínez restored Argentina's lead in the 92nd minute, but the tenacious Blue Sharks answered through a spectacular Sidny Lopes Cabral strike at the 103rd minute that sent the match deeper into extra time. Cristian Romero finally delivered the winner at 111 minutes to send the defending champions through. For Argentina, the grueling win keeps alive their dream of becoming the first nation to win back-to-back World Cups in more than 60 years — just five victories now stand between them and history. For the 67th-ranked Cape Verde, the performance was a declaration that the Blue Sharks belong on football's grandest stage, even as their remarkable tournament run comes to a close.