Argentina are through to the next round, but Cabo Verde made them fight for every second of it.

What looked like a normal night for the world champions became one of the most dramatic matches of the Round of 32. Argentina started with control and found the breakthrough in the 29th minute through Lionel Messi, who once again delivered when his team needed a calm moment in a knockout match.

But Cabo Verde refused to disappear. They stayed organized, brave, and dangerous, and their reward came in the second half when Dery Duarte scored in the 59th minute to make it 1-1. From that moment, the match changed. Argentina had the ball, but Cabo Verde had belief.

The game went into extra time, and Argentina thought they had finally broken the resistance when Lisandro Martinez scored in the 92nd minute. Still, Cabo Verde answered again. Sidney Lopes made it 2-2 in the 103rd minute, sending their fans into a dream and putting huge pressure on Argentina.

At that point, Cabo Verde were not just surviving. They were competing, pushing Argentina to the limit and showing why football can never be decided on reputation alone.

But in the end, the logic was respected. Argentina found the decisive moment in the 111th minute, when Diney Borges turned the ball into his own net under pressure, giving Argentina a 3-2 lead they would not lose.

It was heartbreak for Cabo Verde, who played with courage and made a historic battle against one of football’s giants. For Argentina, it was not easy, not clean, and not comfortable, but it was enough.

Argentina advance after a 3-2 extra-time win, while Cabo Verde leave the World Cup with pride, respect, and one of the strongest underdog performances of the tournament.