Argentina’s qualification to the round of 16 of the 2026 FIFA World Cup left more questions than certainties.
The current world champion needed 120 minutes to beat Cape Verde 3-2, a debutant team that pushed the team led by Lionel Scaloni to the limit.
The match showed both the Albiceleste’s ability to react and some aspects that they will have to correct before facing Egypt on July 7 at 10 a.m. in the next round.
The successes
Messi once again made the difference
Lionel Messi opened the scoring in the 29th minute after connecting with a cross from Lisandro Martínez. The goal marked his seventh goal in the 2026 World Cup and the 20th of his career in World Cups, extending his record as the tournament’s all-time top scorer.
Beyond scoring, the Argentine captain was once again the main generator of offensive play and participated in the main dangerous actions of his team.
The stopped ball was once again decisive
Argentina found one of its main strengths in set-piece actions.
Lisandro Martínez scored 2-1 in the 92nd minute after a corner kick, while the goal that defined the classification reached 111. In that play, a free kick taken by Messi ended with a header from Lisandro Martínez that deflected off Diney Borges before entering the goal defended by Vozinha, an action that was recorded as an own goal.
The aspects to correct
Cape Verde found spaces to react
After taking advantage on the scoreboard, Argentina lost intensity during several passages of the match and allowed Cape Verde to grow in the match.
The tie came in the 59th minute, when Deroy Duarte took advantage of a defensive inattention to establish the 1-1 and force the world champion to rethink the match.
Difficulties controlling transitions
Cape Verde’s speed once again put the Argentine defensive block in trouble during extra time.
The 2-2 tie came in the 103rd minute with a powerful mid-range shot by Sidny Lopes Cabral, an action that revealed the Albiceleste’s difficulties in closing the spaces outside the area and containing the attacks in transition.
A warning before the round of 16
Although Argentina got the ticket to the round of 16, the match made it clear that the margin of error in the 2026 World Cup is increasingly smaller.
Scaloni’s team advanced thanks to its hierarchy in specific moments and the effectiveness of its strategic plays, but it also gave opportunities to an opponent that was playing in its first World Cup and was close to taking the series to a penalty shootout.