World Cup Day 23: Cape Verde give Argentina scare in 5-goal thriller | OneFootball

The FIFA World Cup 2026 produced yet more drama as Cape Verde took holders Argentina to the limit in the round of 32. 

Here is our recap of all the action from Friday, including what you might have missed overnight.

World Cup Day 23:

Cape Verde push Argentina all the way

What many predicted would be one of the most one-sided matchups in the knockout phase turned out to be one of the most competitive, enthralling and exciting matches in the history of the competition.

Lionel Messi opened the scoring after half an hour in Miami, his eighth consecutive World Cup match with a goal, with a frankly outrageous touch and finish. The floodgates, however, did not open as expected, with the Cape Verdeans holding their own in the first half.

Argentina brought no intensity to the second half when they emerged from the break, sleepwalking through the game until they were jolted awake when Deroy Duarte slotted the ball past Emi Martinez on the hour mark.

From there, the Blue Sharks defended like their very lives depended on it, which they have done all tournament. Vozinha put in another incredible performance between the sticks, and even showed off his ball playing skills several times.

They simply did not allow Argentina to break their resolve before the final whistle, taking the game to extra time. Unfortunately, Manchester United centre-back Lisandro Martinez found a way through almost immediately after the restart by firing the ball into the roof of the net.

Despite this setback, Cape Verde could not be shaken. They took the game to the reigning champions, putting them on the back foot until they found another equaliser in the most astonishing way possible.

Full-back Sidny Cabral picked the ball up on the left flank, sent Liverpool’s Alexis MacAllister for a sandwich before curling the ball into the net with a world-class strike from the corner of the box.

Cabral had no clue what to do with himself, putting his hands on his head as he sprinted away in disbelief, before running into the stands to unite with his partner. It was up there with the most amazing moments ever seen in the sport.

Argentina were like a deer in the headlights and desperately needed to reset at the halftime break. The lottery of penalties had to be avoided at all costs.

The decisive moment came in the 111th minute. Messi whipped in a corner to Spurs defender Cristian Romero, whose header deflected off the hand of Diney Borges and into the goal.

A cruel, unjust way for their magical run to end, but Cape Verde captured the hearts and minds of every football fan the world over. They ended the tournament unbeaten in normal time and almost pulled off the greatest upset of all time.

Argentina advance, but with major question marks hanging over their defence now.

Read – World Cup 2026 Round of 16 fixtures, kick off times and TV channels

Australia’s Tim Krul moment fails to pay off against Egypt

Egypt benefited from one of the biggest blunders ever committed by a head coach in international football as they eliminated Australia via penalty shootout.

The Pharaohs opened the scoring in the 13th minute when Emam Ashour nodded in Karim Hafez’s cross into the box. They should have doubled their lead immediately after the halftime break when Omar Marmoush missed a glorious chance.

The Socceroos pegged them back 10 minutes later when Mohamed Hany diverted Aiden O’Neill’s free-kick into his own net. It was the 30-year-old full-back’s second own goal of the tournament.

Neither side could be separated after 120 minutes of action as penalties were required to decide a winner. Australia manager Tony Popovic evidently took inspiration from Louis van Gaal’s famous decision before the Netherlands defeated Costa Rica on penalties in 2014, replacing Jasper Cillessen with Tim Krul.

Popovic took Pat Beach off in the final minute of extra time, sending on former Brighton and Arsenal goalkeeper Maty Ryan to face the spot kicks. Perhaps he was thinking back to last June when Ryan saved a penalty against Saudi Arabia to seal qualification to the World Cup, but the decision backfired spectacularly.

Ryan got close to the first penalty attempt, but Mahmoud Saber’s strike was simply too powerful to stop. He proceeded to let in the following three kicks from Egypt, moving too early on each occasion to make the job all too easy for his opponents.

It was a disastrous move by Popovic, made all the more confusing by the fact that Beach was having a very good tournament in goals. Australia will forever wonder about what might have been, while the Egyptians advance with their first ever win in a World Cup knockout match.

Read – The only players to score 5+ goals at two World Cups

Colombia narrowly defeat Ghana

The scoreline doesn’t really tell the story of this match. Colombia battered Ghana all night long and should have won by a far greater margin, but they find themselves in the round of 16 regardless.

Sporting CP forward Luis Suarez drove a cross into the box for former Wolves midfielder Jhon Arias, who put it away with a tidy first-time finish to send Los Cafeteros through.

Ghana have not been great to watch this summer and this match was no exception. Only two of their eight shots were from inside the box as they struggled to create openings, while they gave up five big chances to the Colombians.

World Cup Day 23 results:

Read – The players to score and be red carded in a World Cup knockout match

See Also – It took Cristiano Ronaldo 20 years to score this World Cup goal

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