Cape Verde's World Cup Triumph
Argentina defeats resilient Cape Verde 3-2 in extra time to reach World Cup last 16.
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Argentina survived one of the World Cup's biggest scares, beating Cape Verde 3-2 in extra time to reach the last 16. BDT Online reported that the tiny island nation nearly forced a penalty shootout against defending world champions Argentina before an own goal in the 111th minute ended their dream run.
Cape Verde, ranked 64th in the world, became the smallest nation ever to reach the knockout stage of a World Cup. Head Topics reported that the islands held European champions Spain, Uruguay, and Saudi Arabia to draws in Group H before this extraordinary run.
An Own Goal Ends Cape Verde's Brave Fight
The match went 90 minutes with no winner, forcing extra time. Then, in the 111th minute, Cape Verde defender Diney Borges turned a cross from Argentina's Cristian Romero into his own net. That moment sent Argentina through and ended one of the tournament's most emotional nights.
BDT Online reported that Cape Verde came agonizingly close to making history. A penalty shootout against top-ranked Argentina would have been unthinkable just weeks ago. Instead, they fell 3-2 — but left the field to a standing ovation.
Cape Verde's Group Stage Run Was Already Historic
To even reach this point, Cape Verde had to survive Group H — one of the toughest in the tournament. They drew against Spain, the European champions. They drew against Uruguay. They also held Saudi Arabia to a draw. Three draws were enough to see them through as one of the best third-placed teams.
Cape Verde is a small island nation off the west coast of Africa with a population of under 600,000 people. No country this small has ever appeared in a World Cup knockout game before. Head Topics described their campaign as record-breaking for a team their size.
Messi and Argentina Forced to Fight Hard
Lionel Messi and his Argentina side came into the match as heavy favorites. They are the top-ranked team in the world and the reigning world champions. But Cape Verde refused to be brushed aside. BDT Online noted that the underdogs pushed Argentina to the absolute brink before losing.
Argentina will now advance to the last 16. But this game will be remembered as one of their hardest. CBS Sports confirmed the final score of 3-2 after extra time, a result that surprised fans watching around the world.
Cape Verde Lost the Game but Won the World
Despite the defeat, Cape Verde's tournament captured hearts globally. Head Topics reported that millions of fans who had never heard of the islands before now cheered them on. Their teamwork, grit, and refusal to quit made them the story of this World Cup round.
Egypt also made headlines the same day, beating Australia in a penalty shootout to advance. BDT Online reported that Egypt was perfect in their shootout, converting all four penalties. But it was Cape Verde's story that dominated the day's conversation in football.
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