Argentina edged Cape Verde 3-2; Messi makes history, Vozinha glorious in defeat – his Instagram followers surge to nearly 20 million On July 4, Argentina beat Cape Verde 3-2 after extra time to book their spot in the World Cup Round of 16. Fun fact: Cape Verde nearly held three World Cup champions to a draw. Take a look at Vozinha’s sensational saves. They were dead even against every side – a veteran still fighting with heart. Spain: No bashing us this time, huh? Anyone who’s played them knows how tough they are 🥹 I hold no hard feelings toward Spain anymore. Argentina vs Cape Verde Full-time score: Argentina 3-2 Cape Verde Match Highlights 1. 8th minute – Vozinha’s composed skill Goalkeeper Vozinha held possession inside his box. Faced with Lautaro Martínez’s aggressive high press, he pulled off a neat drag-and-turn dribble to shake off the forward, steadying his side’s build-up play and absorbing Argentina’s intense early pressure. ​ 2. 12th minute – Vozinha denies Messi Messi collected Enzo Fernández’s pass at the edge of the box and unleashed a low drive targeted at the bottom-left corner of the net. Vozinha darted sideways, diving full stretch to parry the ball behind for a corner, stopping Argentina from taking the lead. ​ 3. 29th minute – Messi opens scoring; Vozinha powerless Lisandro Martínez sent a looping long through ball over the defense. Messi timed his run perfectly to beat the offside trap, brought the ball down cleanly, and flicked a delicate finish into the top corner. Even with a full-stretch dive, Vozinha could not reach the shot. Argentina went 1-0 up against Cape Verde. This strike marked Messi’s 20th World Cup goal and set a new record: scoring in eight consecutive World Cup matches. ​ 4. 45th minute – Another crucial save from Vozinha Enzo Fernández unleashed a powerful long-range strike from outside the penalty area. Vozinha dropped quickly to the ground and clutched the ball safely to his chest, snuffing out another dangerous Argentina attack. ​ 5. 56th minute – Vozinha stands firm under frontline pressure Messi charged forward to close down the goalkeeper. Vozinha read the play calmly and launched a precise long clearance kick, avoiding any careless errors. ​ 6. 59th minute – Cape Verde equalizer (unrelated to the two stars) Duarte received a teammate’s assist and slotted the ball into the far corner, leveling the game at 1-1. ​ 7. 62nd minute – Vozinha’s legendary one-on-one stop vs Messi Lautaro slipped a piercing through ball for Messi, who broke clear on goal with a tight-angled close-range strike. Vozinha dropped his center of gravity early, widened his frame, and stuck out a leg to block the shot behind for a corner, ruining Argentina’s golden chance to retake the lead. ​ 8. 72nd minute – Vozinha turns away Messi’s free kick Messi drew a dangerous direct free kick right outside the box and stepped up to take it. The ball curved around the defensive wall and headed for the bottom-right corner. With a hastily arranged wall, Vozinha rapidly adjusted his position and flew sideways to tip the ball over the crossbar, repelling another match-winning Messi strike. Extra Time (91–120 minutes) 1. 92nd minute: Lisandro Martínez scored to put Argentina ahead 2-1, assisted by Alexis Mac Allister, with Messi orchestrating the build-up in attack. ​ 2. 103rd minute: Cabral equalized for Cape Verde, tying the score once more at 2-2. ​ 3. 115th minute: Argentina struck the decisive winner, sealing a 3-2 victory and eliminating Cape Verde to advance to the Round of 16.