Argentina booked their place in the FIFA World Cup Round of 16 after edging Cape Verde 3-2 in a dramatic extra-time contest. Lionel Messi opened the scoring in the 29th minute with his seventh goal of the tournament before Deroy Duarte equalised shortly after the break, forcing the match into extra time. Lisandro MartÃnez restored Argentina's lead early in extra time, but Cape Verde responded once again through a sensational strike from Sidny Lopes Cabral. With the match heading towards penalties, Argentina found the decisive breakthrough when Cape Verde defender Diney Borges accidentally turned the ball into his own net. The hard-fought victory sends the defending champions safely into the last 16, where they will face Egypt. Despite a spirited performance from Cape Verde, Argentina's resilience proved enough to keep their World Cup title defence alive.
