*Messi On Scoresheet
Cape Verde might have lost but it felt like they had won, on Saturday early morning Nigeria time.
The way they applied themselves, the way they battled and fought with bravery and ambition. They took the defending world champions right to the edge.
Immediately after the game,the Cape Verde players looked devastated – some in tears, others with their heads in their hands.
Obviously they should be proud of themselves but it’s completely understandable, they were so close to pulling off the greatest sporting shock of all time.
Messi looked a mix of bemused, relieved and shattered. Argentina were dragged by the Blue Shark minnows to the very edge.
How The Game Went
A 111th-minute Diney Borges own goal saved holders Argentina from one of the biggest shocks in World Cup history as they scraped past heoric debutants Cape Verde in the last 32.
The team lying 64th in the FIFA rankings twice came back to equalise against opponents who are second in the world.
With the score locked at 1-1 after 90 minutes, the outsiders forced their illustrious opponents into extra time.
Lisandro Martinez then thought he had won it for Argentina with a superb finish in the 92nd minute.
But Sidny Lopes Cabral produced one of the World Cup’s great goals 11 minutes later when he cut inside to the left of the box and whipped a curling strike over goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez and into the top corner to make it 2-2.
Enjoying the night of his career, Cabral then forced a stunning save from Martinez four minutes from the end of extra time – but they could not draw level for a third time to force penalties.
It was a party atmosphere early in Miami – with thousands of expectant Argentines cheering on their team.
And they had looked to be easing their way to victory when Lionel Messi produced another moment of magic in the 29th minute.
The Argentina captain scored his 20th World Cup goal as he beautifully controlled defender Martinez’s long ball before finishing high into the net.
But the smallest nation to play in a World Cup knockout match were not about to leave the tournament quietly.
And Deroy Duarte’s second-half finish pulled Cape Verde level – as he made the run into the box and powered a finish through the legs of Manchester United defender Martinez and beyond the goalkeeper from a tight angle as a number of Cape Verde fans cried tears of joy.
Two minutes into extra time in Miami, defender Martinez latched on to Alexis Mac Allister’s flick from a corner and produced a powerful finish to beat goalkeeper Vozinha.
Then came Cabral’s world-class equaliser for Cape Verde. And although it was not to be for them in the end, they certainly left their mark on the World Cup.
*PHOTO CAPTION: Messi had six shots on target,but the Cape Verde goalkeeper was equal to the task.
