Cape Verde’s defender #03 Diney Borges, Argentina’s ahead #10 Lionel Messi and Cape Verde’s defender #04 Pico Lopes combat for the ball throughout the 2026 World Cup spherical of 32 soccer match between Argentina and Cape Verde on the Miami Stadium in Miami Gardens on July 3, 2026. — AFP
LOS ANGELES: Holders Argentina survived a monumental scare earlier than defeating Cape Verde 3-2 in an all-time World Cup traditional on Friday as Egypt beat Australia to succeed in the final 16.
Cape Verde, with a inhabitants of simply over 500,000, rocked Lionel Messi’s Argentina with two gorgeous equalisers to lift the prospect of pulling off the best upset in World Cup historical past on the Exhausting Rock Stadium in Miami.
However a Diney Borges personal purpose, underneath stress from Argentina’s Cristian Romero, within the 111th minute lastly broke Cape Verde’s resistance.
Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni stated dropping to Cape Verde “would have been madness.”
It was “a very tough match; you always have to take the positives —this team (Argentina) never gives up,” Scaloni stated.
“We have to congratulate the opponent; when people say there are no easy opponents, they proved today that they are a great team,” he added.
Argentina, who’re bidding to grow to be the primary workforce to win back-to-back World Cup titles since Brazil in 1962, will play Egypt on Tuesday in Atlanta for a spot within the quarter-finals.
However the South People have been pressured to cling on for victory in opposition to a workforce ranked 65 locations beneath them by world governing physique FIFA.
Messi had fired Argentina into the lead with an outstanding purpose on 29 minutes, setting the reigning world champions heading in the right direction for what most assumed could be a routine win.
However Deroy Duarte’s 59th-minute equaliser left Argentina shellshocked, and the African qualifiers then held on improbably to power extra-time.
Lisandro Martinez restored Argentina’s lead within the 92nd minute, however as soon as once more Cape Verde hit again, Sidny Lopes Cabral curling in a powerful second on 103 minutes.
Argentina although grabbed the winner within the second interval of extra-time earlier than hanging on to clinch victory.
“What we achieved, we wanted to show what was possible for small nations,” Cape Verde’s Irish-born defensive stalwart Pico Lopes stated afterwards. “With big hearts, that you can believe, and dream anything is possible.”
Penalty drama
Earlier Friday, Egypt defeated Australia on penalties to win a World Cup knockout match for the primary time.
Mohamed Salah #10 of Egypt applauds followers after the workforce’s victory via the penalty shootout throughout the Fifa World Cup 2026 Spherical of 32 match between Australia and Egypt at Dallas Stadium on July 03, 2026 in Arlington, Texas, US. — AFP
Hossam Abdelmaguid coolly transformed the decisive spot-kick to seal a 4-2 shootout win over the Socceroos in Arlington, Texas, after the match completed 1-1 following additional time.
Australia coach Tony Popovic rolled the cube by bringing on veteran goalkeeper Maty Ryan for the shoot-out moments earlier than the ultimate whistle on the AT&T Stadium.
However Ryan was unable to carry his affect to bear, failing to get a hand on any of Egypt’s profitable 4 penalties.
Australia have been left ruing penalty misses from captain Harry Souttar and 18-year-old defender Lucas Herrington, who each blazed over.
“It’s history,” Egypt talisman Mohamed Salah stated afterwards.
“I told the boys before the game that this is the biggest stage you can play on. Enjoy it and don’t let the pressure get to you,” added the previous Liverpool star.
Australia coach Popovic defended the choice to carry on Ryan for the shoot-out.
“We just felt that Maty’s experience will be the difference,” Popovic stated of Ryan earlier than defending the choice of the teenaged Herrington to take a pressure-laden penalty.
“I’m sure you’d be saying something else if the young kid scored,” Popovic stated.
“You’d probably be sitting there saying how wonderful it is that an 18-year-old took a penalty and scored.”
Egypt’s win bucked what has hitherto been a disappointing knockout part for African groups,with South Africa, Ivory Coast, Senegal, Democratic Republic of Congo and Algeria all exiting the event within the final 32.
In Friday’s different sport, Colombia noticed off toothless Ghana 1-0 to grow to be the ultimate workforce to qualify for the World Cup final 16.
Off the sector on Friday, anticipation for Sunday’s blockbuster final 16 conflict between England and Mexico Metropolis on the Estadio Azteca was given a jolt of intrigue after it emerged that the kickoff time for the sport could also be introduced ahead by a number of hours because of forecast storms.
However after a chaotic few hours, sources later confirmed the match would go forward at 6:00pm native time as deliberate.
