Lionel Messi found the back of the net, but Argentina required extra time to secure a 3-2 victory over Cape Verde and advance to the World Cup Round of 16. The 39-year-old forward sustained a noticeable bump on his forehead during the tightly contested match.
The Argentinian captain opened the scoring in the 29th minute with a skillful finish over goalkeeper Vozinha. However, Cape Verde responded strongly, with Deroy Duarte netting a shock equalizer just before the hour mark, forcing the game into extra time.
Lisandro Martinez of Manchester United then scored a powerful goal to put Argentina back in front. The lead was short-lived as defender Sidny Lopes Cabral struck a long-range shot to equalize again. An own goal by Diney in the 111th minute ultimately decided the match in Argentina's favor.
Messi, who scored his team's first goal, described the match as significantly more difficult than anticipated. "Honestly, we already knew this was going to be a very difficult match. It wasn’t a coincidence that this team didn’t lose to Spain or Uruguay," Messi stated in his post-match interview. He added that while scoring first was intended to bring calm, the opposite occurred, with the team losing possession at times and the opponent capitalizing on their strengths.
He emphasized the competitive nature of the current World Cup, noting that "everything is incredibly close, and every single game is extremely difficult." Messi concluded by stressing the team's commitment to giving their all and the importance of recovery and focus for the upcoming match against Egypt.
Fans observed Messi tending to his forehead after an incident where he fell and hit his head against an opponent's leg. Post-match, the bump was visible, with one fan rebranding it a "badge of greatness."
Argentina is scheduled to face Egypt in the next round of the tournament.