Who will Argentina face in round of 16 of FIFA World Cup 2026 after beating Cape Verde?
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South American giants progress to the next round after a tense game against Cape Verde.
Argentina defeated Cape Verde 3-2 after extra time to go to the FIFA World Cup 2026 Round of 16 for the sixth consecutive time.
Lionel Messi, Lisandro Martinez, and an own goal earned the reigning champion a thrilling win over Cape Verde in the Round of 32 on Friday in Miami.
In their first World Cup, the African team twice came from behind to keep the game alive before a crowd of 64,478 at Miami Stadium.
Lionel Messi whipped a corner into the area. Cristian Romero rose to head in off the elbow of Cape Verde centre-back Diney Borges, securing a match with Egypt in Atlanta next Tuesday.
Despite being defeated by the three-time world winners, Cape Verde showed exceptional togetherness and determination during their inaugural World Cup.
Cape Verde, rated 67th in the world entering the World Cup, planned to frustrate Argentina. They had done so with Spain, Uruguay, and Saudi Arabia in group stage draws.
They succeeded, with no lack of quality of their own, throughout most of the game with a never-say-die desperation and a crisp pass-and-move strategy.
Also read: Who will Switzerland face in Round of 16 of FIFA World Cup 2026 after beating Algeria?
Who will Argentina face in the Round of 16 of the FIFA World Cup 2026?
Argentina will meet another African team, Egypt, in the following round on Tuesday at the Atlanta Stadium. Egypt defeated Australia in a penalty shootout to go to the RO16 for the first time since 1934.
This will be Messi’s first international match against Mohamed Salah. Both teams will be coming off a high-intensity contest and hoping to advance to the quarterfinals.
When is Argentina’s next game?
Their next game is on 7th July, 9:30 pm IST.
Who are they facing in the round of 16?
They will face Egypt.
Where will the game be played?
Pista Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta.
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After earning a bachelor's degree in mass media, Rajarshi began his career as a sports writer in 2019, driven by his passion for sports journalism. He has been working in the field for over six years. A devoted fan of Lionel Messi and Barcelona, Rajarshi has been involved in sports since childhood. Before turning his focus to journalism, he even represented his college at the state level. Along with covering football, he enjoys playing the game, watching movies, and experimenting with new recipes in his spare time, as cooking is one of his favorite hobbies.