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Reigning champions survive Cape Verde scare to move to round of 16
Cape Verde's gallant run came to an unfortunate end because of an own goal against Argentina
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Prabhjot Paul Singh - Sat, 04, Jul 2026
- 03:20 EDT
- 14
FIFA World Cup / X@fifamedia
It was a pulsating game between debutants and defending champions. The new entrants bowed out, but not without making the defending champions realize that the fight was not with novices but with equals.
The game reflected the stage the tournament has reached as competition is getting fierce, close, and exciting with upsets, penalty shootouts, and late winners. Wins have started coming the hard way as the first phase of the knockout round nears completion.
Cape Verde's gallant run came to an unfortunate end because of an own goal against Argentina after the game was stretched to 120 pulsating minutes.
Earlier, Egypt kept the African flag flying high with a decisive penalty shootout win against Australia after the two teams could not resolve the 1-1 deadlock even after 30 minutes of extra time. Egyptians erupted into celebrations over their team’s splendid win in a game in which Australians managed to overcome a 0-1 deficit to restore parity in the second half.
Cape Verde, however, could not keep its undefeated status in its fourth appearance in the FIFA World Cup. Its first loss not only marked its exit from the tournament after a glorious start but also reduced Africa’s continued presence in the tournament. Of the 10 African teams that started in this World Cup, seven have already been eliminated.
Argentina survived more than one scare as the smallest nation from Africa participating in the world's biggest sporting event scripted history by maintaining its unbeaten streak through the end of regulation in the round of 32.
Intriguingly, the spirited Cape Verde conceded what appeared to be an own goal following a measured corner kick taken by Lionel Messi that had two of his teammates jumping to head the ball before it deflected into the goal off a defender’s body. Cape Verde had a point, and it proved it to the hilt.
Argentina saw its skipper and soccer icon create yet another record by scoring a goal in his fourth successive match of the tournament to continue leading the individual scorers list with seven goals in four games. This includes his first-ever hat trick in the World Cup.
The day started with an Asia-Africa clash as Australia took on Egypt that culminated in a penalty shootout thriller. Emam Ashour got Egypt on the board early, but a second-half own goal knotted things up, and the teams battled through extra time without another goal. Egypt then prevailed 4-2 in the shootout.
The match of the day, however, was between debutants Cape Verde and the defending champions Argentina. A game that will be long remembered for the fight the young Africans put up against their experienced and classy opponents. The valiant World Cup run of Cape Verde came to a halt only at the far end of the extended play.
Lionel Messi got things started with a goal in the 29th minute, but Cape Verde’s Deroy Duarte restored parity 30 minutes later in the second half. Then, in extra time, defending champions Lisandro Martinez blasted one past Cape Verde goalkeeper Vozinha, but the Africans responded as Sidney Lopes Cabral tied it again in the 103rd minute. That set the stage for a late winner by Argentina that was initially ruled a Cristian Romero goal before being changed to an own goal by Cape Verde.
In the last match of the round of 32, South American challenger Colombia was taking on the last African team, Ghana. With history on its side after winning Group K unbeaten and taking its last four matches against African teams, Colombia started as the favorite. Ghana, a third-place finisher from Group L, was trying to upset Los Cafeteros and earn a round of 16 meeting with Switzerland.
But it was not to be. Jhon Arias put the South Americans ahead in the 14th minute. They held onto the lead until halftime.
The Colombians held onto the lead for a place in the round of 16, where they will play Switzerland on July 7.
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