Lionel Messi has praised Cape Verde after Argentina’s 3-2 extra-time win in the World Cup Round of 32, saying his side knew the match would be difficult and never underestimated their opponents.
“We knew it was going to be a very tough match. This team hadn’t lost to Spain and Uruguay for a reason,” Messi told reporters after the match.
“We did the hardest part, which was finding the first goal. We thought that from then on, we would start to find our game and be more relaxed, but it was the complete opposite. We lost the ball, we sat back, we couldn’t pressure them well, and they struck with their strengths,” he said.
Messi added that the knockout stage leaves no room for complacency. “This is the knockout stage and nobody gives you anything for free. We knew it wasn’t going to be easy at all, and that’s what this World Cup, in particular, is all about. It’s very evenly matched, very complicated and every game is going to be extremely difficult.”
He said the team still has plenty to work on despite advancing. “Today, we put in a huge effort, as always, playing well and playing badly, just like we always say. But I think the important thing now is to rest, think about what’s coming next and try to take positives from today’s game. Beyond just qualifying, I think there are positives because we did some good things, and we also need to correct the bad ones, which I think were many today as well.”
Ranked 67th in the world against top-ranked Argentina, Cape Verde matched the defending champions for long spells before finally bowing out. Messi broke the deadlock in the 29th minute, controlling a Lisandro Martinez pass with the outside of his boot before finishing past goalkeeper Vozinha. It was his seventh goal of the tournament and his 20th at World Cup level, extending his own record of scoring in eight straight World Cup games.
Cape Verde refused to fold. Deroy Duarte levelled shortly before the hour mark, turning home a low finish after being picked out by captain Ryan Mendes, and the score stayed level until the end of 90.
Lisandro Martinez put Argentina back in front two minutes into extra time with a driven finish from a Messi corner. Cape Verde answered again through Sidny Lopes Cabral, who curled a stunning strike into the top corner in the 103rd minute to make it 2-2.
The decisive moment came in the 111th minute, when Messi swung in another corner, Cristian Romero rose to head it goalward, and the ball deflected in off Cape Verde defender Diney Borges for an own goal.
The win stretched Argentina’s unbeaten run to 11 matches, their longest winning streak in team history, and kept Messi ahead of Kylian Mbappe in the race for the Golden Boot with seven goals to the Frenchman’s six.
Argentina now face Egypt, who beat Australia on penalties earlier the same day, in the Round of 16 in Atlanta on Tuesday.
