Argentina 1-0 Cape Verde LIVE Score, FIFA World Cup 2026: Lionel Messi And Lisandro Martinez Combine To Open Scoring

GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAALLLLL!!!! Argentina have finally clicked into gear, and they are ahead! Straight from the restart, Argentina are on the front foot, with Lisandro Martinez floating a brilliant long pass toward their familiar talisman in the box. Gliding free of the Cape Verde defence, Lionel Messi has brought the ball down mid-stride and, without needing another touch, have lifted it past Vozinha into the near corner to put Argentina 1–0 up! It is a moment of pure magic, and Argentina are now in the driver's seat as they look to assert their dominance. Cape Verde are going to have to respond quickly if they are to stay in this match!

Argentina have just squandered a golden opportunity from a dead-ball situation! As expected, Lionel Messi stepped up to strike the free-kick for Argentina, curling a dangerous effort around a disjointed Cape Verde wall. However, Argentina were denied the opening goal as the ball went straight into the waiting gloves of Vozinha. Cape Verde have been fortunate to escape that threat, and they are still level in this high-stakes contest.

Argentina have finally surged to life in Miami, creating their most dangerous opportunity of the match so far. Following a lethargic opening, Rodrigo de Paul ignited the attack with a precision pass into the box, finding Thiago Almada on the wing. Almada’s clever cutback set the stage for Lionel Messi, who sliced through two defenders with a brilliant first touch. However, the captain couldn't keep his composure on the finish, dragging his shot agonizingly wide of the far post. It is a massive let-off for the Cape Verde defense, as Argentina signal that their pressure is beginning to mount.

The match in Miami has seen its first moment of high tension as Nahuel Molina goes down after a heavy collision with Cape Verde defender Sidny Cabral.

The incident occurred just moments ago while the Argentina right-back was attempting a sharp one-two combination with Alexis Mac Allister deep in the attacking third. Despite Molina staying down on the turf in clear frustration, the referee waved play on immediately, signaling that he saw no foul in the challenge. Argentina are continuing to apply pressure as they look to break down a disciplined Cape Verde backline that has yet to concede a goal in this knockout-stage battle.

The Round of 32 clash between Argentina and Cape Verde is officially underway at Miami Stadium. As the match kicks off, Nuno da Costa has taken the opening touch for the "Blue Sharks," who are already enjoying a historic tournament run.

Vozinha; Steven Moreira, Pico Lopes, Diney Borges, Sidny Cabral; Kevin Pina; Ryan Mendes, Laros Duarte, Deroy Duarte, Jovane Cabral; Nuno da Costa

SUBS: Marcio Rosa, CJ dos Santos, Stopira, Logan Costa, Joao Paulo, Gilson Benchimol, Jamiro Monteiro, Garry Rodrigues, Yannick Semedo, Willy Semedo, Telmo Arcanjo, Dailon Livramento, Wagner Pina, Kelvin Pires, Helio Varela

Emiliano Martinez; Nahuel Molina, Cristian Romero, Lisandro Martinez, Facundo Medina; Rodrigo De Paul, Alexis Mac Allister, Enzo Fernandez, Thiago Almada; Lionel Messi, Lautaro Martinez

SUBS: Juan Musso, Geronimo Rulli, Marcos Senesi, Nicolas Tagliafico, Gonzalo Montiel, Leandro Paredes, Valentin Barco, Julian Alvarez, Giovani Lo Celso, Exequiel Palacios, Nico Gonzalez, Giuliano Simeone, Nico Paz, Nicolas Otamendi, Jose Manuel Lopez

Argentina’s journey through the group stages of the FIFA World cup 2026 was defined by trademark clinical efficiency and the continued brilliance of their veteran core. Drawn into Group G, La Albiceleste navigated a challenging path with a blend of tactical flexibility and offensive firepower.

They opened their campaign with a decisive victory, establishing an early rhythm that carried them throughout the opening round. While they faced stiff resistance in subsequent matches, the team’s ability to control the tempo through midfield mastery and capitalize on transition moments ensured they remained at the top of their group. Lionel Messi remained the creative heartbeat of the side, consistently breaking down low defensive blocks, while the defense proved remarkably resolute, conceding very few high-quality chances. Finishing at the summit of their group with an unbeaten record, Argentina cemented their status as a primary contender, showcasing the composure and tactical maturity required to make a deep run in the FIFA World cup 2026.

Cape Verde’s performance in the FIFA World cup 2026 group stage was one of the tournament's most remarkable underdog stories. Making their World Cup debut, the "Blue Sharks" progressed to the Round of 32 by remaining unbeaten in Group H, drawing all three of their matches against Spain (0–0), Uruguay (2–2), and Saudi Arabia (0–0). By securing three points from three draws, Cape Verde finished as group runners-up behind Spain, becoming the smallest nation by population to ever reach the knockout stages of a men’s FIFA World cup 2026. A cornerstone of their success was the veteran goalkeeper Vozinha, who kept two clean sheets and earned global acclaim for his commanding performances. Cape Verde’s tactical discipline and resilience against historically superior opposition cemented their status as the surprise package of the tournament.

Lionel Messi has been in imperious form at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, netting six goals across the group stage to spearhead Argentina's perfect campaign. His tournament began with a spectacular hat-trick against Algeria, followed by a clinical brace in a victory over Austria that saw him surpass Miroslav Klose’s record to become the all-time leading goalscorer in World Cup history. Messi capped off his group-stage dominance by coming off the bench against Jordan to curl in a trademark free-kick, a goal that also extended his historic run to seven consecutive World Cup appearances with a goal. With this tally, the 39-year-old maestro currently sits level with Kylian Mbappé in the Golden Boot race, further cementing his legendary status on the world’s biggest stage.

In the FIFA World Cup 2026 Round of 32, Spain dominated Austria in a 3-0 victory, driven by a brace from Mikel Oyarzabal and an additional goal from Pedro Porro. Meanwhile, Portugal narrowly advanced past Croatia with a dramatic 2-1 win; Cristiano Ronaldo scored his first-ever World Cup knockout goal from a penalty, and Gonçalo Ramos secured the victory with a late stoppage-time winner after a potential late equalizer from Croatia’s Joško Gvardiol was ruled out for offside. Finally, Switzerland comfortably reached the last 16 by defeating Algeria 2-0, with first-half and second-half goals from Breel Embolo and Dan Ndoye respectively, marking a tactical victory for Murat Yakin’s side.

The FIFA World Cup 2026 will be telecast live on Unite8 Sports network on television. For live streaming, one can catch the action on the Zee5 app and website.

Competition: FIFA World Cup 2026

Stage: Round of 32

Kickoff Time: 6:00 PM EDT (3:30 AM IST on July 4)

Venue: Miami Stadium, Miami, Florida, USA

Referee: Drew Fischer

Greetings, we are back with our FIFA World Cup 2026 live blog as Argentina and Cape Verde face-off in the Round of 32 match. The action is about to begin, so stay tuned for all the live updates from Miami Stadium.