Since the World Cup began, many have become aware of Cape Verde, a small nation off Africa’s west coast. Cape Verde started with a draw against Spain, followed by results against Uruguay and Saudi Arabia. This made it the smallest country to qualify for the World Cup knockout round. Its next challenge was a match against Argentina in the round of 32. This match was a re-imagining of David vs. Goliath, as Cape Verde faced Argentina, ranked second. Cape Verde was ranked 59th.
Argentina won 3-2 in extra time. Argentina scored twice in extra time, sealing the win with a Diney Borges own goal in the 111th minute. The game was notably contested between Argentina’s Lionel Messi and Cape Verde’s goalkeeper, Vozinha. Messi, 39, opened the scoring in the 29th minute. He received a pass and deftly maneuvered through the defense, netting his 20th World Cup goal. This extended his record as the highest scorer in World Cup history. This tournament saw Messi scoring a hat trick against Algeria, two goals versus Austria, and another against Jordan.
In the second half, Messi came close to scoring again, if not for Vozinha’s defense. In the 63rd minute, Messi attempted a shot which Vozinha blocked. Later, Messi’s free kick was also saved by Vozinha. These impressive saves highlighted Vozinha’s talents. Vozinha, 40, became popular after his excellent performance against Spain, resulting in a 0-0 draw. Vozinha, playing with clubs in Cyprus and Slovakia, had not played in a World Cup before this.
Early in extra time, Argentina took the lead. After Messi’s corner, Lisandro Martínez scored from a tight angle. Cape Verde responded with a spectacular goal from Sidny Lopes Cabral, equalizing with a shot into the top right corner. Vozinha continued to make crucial saves, but an own goal decided the match in Argentina’s favor. Despite the rankings’ gap, Cape Verde’s performance showed they belonged at this level. The match highlighted both Messi’s and Vozinha’s significance in World Cup history.