Argentina v Cape Verde

After well over two hours of end-to-end, scarcely believable football, the full-time whistle sounds, with Argentina finally coming out on top with a 3–2 victory over Cape Verde!! The Albiceleste haven't been pushed that close since their last World Cup knockout stage match – the 2022 decider against France – and it was the tournament first-timers who did so, with Messi's magnificent opener and Lisandro Martinez's near-post piledriver both cancelled out. Deroy Duarte's first equaliser was impressive enough, but the goal for 2–2 by Sidny Cabral will take some beating, and may stand forever more as the greatest goal in the history of Cape Verdean football. They more than matched the holders despite producing just 0.45 xG to Argentina's 2.16 at the other end, but Cabral's strike in particular was a goal good enough to win any match, let alone take it to penalties. It wasn't to be for the Blue Sharks though, as Romero popped up in the second half of extra time to steer Messi's header goalwards from close range. A touch off Borges helped the ball past Vozinha and into the far corner, meaning it's an own-goal that ends Cape Verde's World Cup journey. Last-gasp chances for Semedo, Cabral and Benchimol all came and went in vain, but the tournament's greatest underdogs head home, with Argentina advancing to face their CAF rivals Egypt in the last 16. Tougher tests may well await for Messi's side, but Argentina will surely take stock from having been given an almighty scare, in a match which almost ended up being the biggest World Cup shock of all time.

FULL-TIME AFTER EXTRA TIME: ARGENTINA 3–2 CAPE VERDE.

CHANCES!!! Cape Verde's latest corner falls for Monteiro in the box, but a timely block on his shot suddenly sets Argentina free on the counter-attack. Gonzalez breaks free and squares for Alvarez in the middle, but Vozinha races out of his box to nonchalantly cut the pass out!

We're set for three more minutes on the end of this pulsating second half, giving Cape Verde only a matter of seconds to salvage their World Cup journey!

CHANCE!! Argentina again fail to clear their lines from Cape Verde's latest corner, and Jair Semedo hooks the loose ball back into the six-yard box. It falls for Livramento from right in front, but he can only blaze over the top as the offside flag is raised!

SAVED!!! Emi Martinez bails Argentina out yet again!! Moreira's right-sided cross is headed on for Benchimol, but Martinez bravely dives at the striker's feet and gets a touch on the ball to steer it behind!