Argentina end Cape Verde's remarkable run in extra time thriller

[p]Buoyed by the occasion, [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/cape-verde/MocyWdm7/"]Cape Verde[/a] - the lowest-ranked side to reach the knockout stages on their WC debut - started with no fear, and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/mendes-ryan/0MexVJ9m/"]Ryan Mendes[/a]’ shot deflected into [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/martinez-emiliano/ziCcc5jM/"]Emiliano Martinez[/a]’s path. [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/argentina/f9OppQjp/"]Argentina[/a] soon took control, though, with [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/messi-lionel/vgOOdZbd/"]Lionel Messi[/a] scuffing a shot wide before striking a free-kick straight into [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/vozinha/Q9F1vw7H/"]Vozinha[/a]’s arms.[/p][p][b]Messi would not be denied for long, putting the world champions in front just before the half-hour mark as he expertly controlled [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/martinez-lisandro/GIzJAqQs/"]Lisandro Martínez[/a]’s lobbed diagonal pass before poking into the roof of the net to put himself ahead in the Golden Boot race with his seventh goal of the tournament. [/b][/p][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/scaloni-lionel/A1A2ibcF/"]Lionel Scaloni[/a]’s men threatened to score again before HT through [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/fernandez-enzo/nZnbEVWP/"]Enzo Fernandez[/a]’s first-time curler from the edge of the box, which was pushed away by Vozinha, but Cape Verde survived with just a one-goal deficit heading into the second half.[/p][image alt="Argentina-Cape Verde momentum" id="4f9b0204-5b18-4195-a03b-bd7ec0f57307" credit-line="Opta by StatsPerform" guid="356dbea4-b481-4f70-ad81-4bd5a0cc8fac" original-width="1920" original-height="1080" /][p]The break came at a good time for the Blue Sharks, who looked more lively after the restart, with [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/duarte-deroy/2oo31kfa/"]Deroy Duarte[/a] forcing Emi Martínez into his first meaningful action of the game, as his shot from outside the area was smartly stopped by the goalkeeper.[/p][p]Then, just before the hour mark, Cape Verde shocked the world again with the equaliser they were threatening.[/p][p][b]Mendes played through Duarte, and this time he made no mistake from a tight angle, rifling into the bottom corner to score the Blue Sharks’ [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/soccer/argentina-f9OppQjp/cape-verde-MocyWdm7/?mid=O4oeJu9d"]first-ever WC knockout goal[/a].[/b][/p][p]Messi almost put Argentina back in front immediately when he was through on goal, but this time Vozinha brought out his early-tournament heroics to deny him from close range. The veteran goalkeeper then produced an even better save to claw Messi’s clever free-kick away from the top corner, as the contest remained level heading into the second hydration break.[/p][p]Upon the resumption, hearts were in mouths when [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/lopes-cabral-sidny/t4c8EgYT/"]Pico Lopes[/a] almost diverted [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/molina-nahuel/M3TzoLot/"]Nahuel Molina[/a]’s dangerous cross into his own net, as he watched the ball flash just past the post. [/p][p]Argentina struggled to create good chances to secure the win late on, and as a result, Cape Verde remarkably forced ET. [b]However, it took just a couple of minutes for their hearts to be broken, as a corner found its way to Lisandro Martinez at the back post, and after assisting Argentina’s first goal, he struck into the top corner to spare his team’s blushes.[/b][/p][image alt="Lisandro Martinez goal sequence" id="c07c93aa-8110-4ed4-9fd3-6d07dde7b69b" credit-line="Opta by StatsPerform" guid="23681908-6a4a-4cdf-b8e3-c097ecdea55d" original-width="1080" original-height="1080" /][p][b]There was only a brief relief, as Cape Verde equalised again with a stunning strike from Sidny Lopes Cabral, arguably scoring the goal of the tournament by curling into the top corner from an acute angle. [/b][/p][p]Messi did his best to dampen the mood with a strike of his own towards goal, but Vozinha managed to parry away as the Blue Sharks went into the second half of ET level.[/p][p][b]Cape Verde ultimately didn’t get their fairytale ending, though, as Argentina went in front for a third time, with their other centre-back [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/romero-cristian/jBZTWXMn/"]Cristian Romero[/a] getting his head to a Messi corner that took a slight deflection off [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/diney-borges/805ZtR7G/"]Diney Borges[/a] on its way into the net.[/b][/p][image alt="Argentina-Cape Verde match stats" id="1ae98d08-987b-4726-a442-d02727f118e9" credit-line="Opta by StatsPerform" guid="794e27f6-bbda-4d3c-b9ef-82d667585db6" original-width="1080" original-height="1080" /][p]The Blue Sharks simply would not give up, and Lopes Cabral showed that his goal was not a fluke as he struck a powerful free-kick towards goal, only for Emi Martinez to palm it away.[/p][p]La Seleccion advance to the Round of 16, where they’ll face [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/egypt/bejDn7NN/"]Egypt[/a], while Cape Verde exit with their first defeat of the tournament, but doing their nation proud.[/p][p][b]Flashscore Man of the Match: [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/martinez-lisandro/GIzJAqQs/"]Lisandro Martinez[/a] (Argentina)[/b][/p][infobox id="4ccc1b10-d68f-4c97-bcf4-5e613c17c2e3" /]