Argentina's national team coach, Lionel Scaloni, expressed relief following his side's narrow 3-2 extra-time victory over Cape Verde, which secured their spot in the World Cup last 16. Scaloni described the potential elimination as "madness," emphasizing the significance of the win for the reigning champions.

Match Overview

The Albiceleste faced a challenging match, needing a goal in the second half of extra time to overcome Cape Verde after relinquishing the lead twice during the game. Lionel Messi opened the scoring in the 29th minute, but the African side equalized through Deroy Duarte in the 59th minute, pushing the match into extra time. Lisandro Martínez briefly restored Argentina's lead in the 92nd minute, only for Sidny Lopes Cabral to equalize again in the 103rd minute.

Decisive Moments

Ultimately, the decisive moment came in the 111th minute when Diney Borges scored an own goal, deflecting a header from Cristian Romero into the net, which clinched the victory for Argentina. Following the match, Scaloni praised both his team's resilience and Cape Verde's performance, stating, "This team never gives up," and acknowledged the quality of their opponents, saying, "You have to congratulate our opponents. They proved today that they are a great team."

Reflecting on the match, Scaloni noted the exhaustion felt by his players, who gave their all on the pitch. He also recognized the close call his team faced, admitting, "It would have been madness to lose, but that's football." Captain Lionel Messi echoed these sentiments, highlighting the difficulties of knockout football and the need for better organization, as he remarked, "Our lines were too far apart. We became a bit disorganised."

As Argentina progresses in the tournament, they will need to address these issues to ensure they remain competitive in the knockout stages.