Another Messi Milestone
"There are no gifts here. It was no coincidence that they didn't lose against either Spain or Uruguay," said Lionel Messi.
However, the superstar emphasized that ultimately only the victory counted: "The most important thing now is to rest and then draw the positive conclusions from this game."
Once again, the eight-time World Footballer of the Year was the decisive man for the three-time world champions.
The superstar scored the opener in the first half and, with his 20th goal in 30 World Cup games and his seventh already in this final round, set another milestone (Read more here >>>).
The Set-Piece Specialist
Even after that, the 39-year-old was a constant nuisance in attack. In extra time, he then showcased his strength from set pieces, directly/indirectly setting up both goals with corner kicks (92nd/111th minute).
All in all, however, Argentina found it extremely difficult against compactly defending opponents and rarely created big scoring opportunities.
The favorites also revealed weaknesses in conceding goals: For the 1-1, the Cape Verdeans were allowed to combine too easily through their ranks, and Sidny Lopes Cabral's second goal was an absolute stunner.
"That's what makes the World Cup so special. Everything is very tight, and every game is very difficult," said Messi, adding: "We gave everything, as always, regardless of whether we played well or badly."
Egypt Awaits Next
In the end, however, the "Albiceleste" had the longer breath and Messi on their side. That once again made the difference and simultaneously ended Cape Verde's World Cup sensation.
Argentina will now face Egypt in the Round of 16, who defeated Australia in a penalty shootout.
