Clinical Edge
Cape Verde Islands
Cape Verde Islands finished well above what their chances were worth — 2 goals from 0.45 xG.
- Goals
- 2
- Expected goals
- 0.45
- Overperformance
- +1.55
World Cup · Round of 32
Argentina
L. Messi 29'
L. Martinez 92'
D. Borges 111'
3 – 2
FT
HT 1–0
Cape Verde Islands
D. Duarte 59'
S. Lopes Cabral 103'
World Cup
Round of 32Argentina3–2Cape Verde Islands
2.16
Expected goals
0.45
29′59′92′103′111′
Shot-by-shot xG is not available for this fixture, so the race is shown as full-time totals: ARG 2.16, CVI 0.45.
Match report
Argentina 3-2 Cape Verde Islands
Argentina edged out Cape Verde Islands 3-2 at Hard Rock Stadium in World Cup. Messi opened the scoring for Argentina on 29', Duarte levelled for Cape Verde Islands on 59', Martinez put Argentina back in front on 92', Cabral levelled for Cape Verde Islands on 103' and Borges turned into his own net on 111' to make it 2-3.
Expected goals finished Argentina 2.16, Cape Verde Islands 0.45. The scoreline is a fair reflection of who created more. Argentina held 64.0% of the ball.
It was settled late — Borges struck on 111' to swing it Argentina's way with the game otherwise level.
The numbers picked up more than the scoreline shows. Cape Verde Islands graded out for clinical edge — 2 goals and 0.45 expected goals. Cape Verde Islands graded out for shooting from range — 10 of 16 shots from range and 0.03 xg per shot.
Lionel Messi came out of it with the best individual rating on the pitch, 9.3 for Argentina from 1 goal, 4 key passes and 7 shots.
It was a niggly afternoon: 25 fouls between them and 2 yellow cards, with Argentina conceding the most free-kicks (13).
Assembled by TackleZone from this fixture’s match events, team statistics and player ratings. Figures are as reported by the competition feed; where a statistic was not reported, it is left out rather than shown as zero. Longer written analysis is published for selected matches.
Quick stats
64%Possession36%
22Shots16
2.16xG0.45
What the numbers say
4 readsShooting From Range
Cape Verde Islands
Cape Verde Islands could not get inside the box and settled for distance — 63% of their shots came from outside it.
- Shots from range
- 10 of 16
- Share
- 63%
- xG per shot
- 0.03
Late Drama
Both teams
The game was still moving in the closing minutes — Argentina scored on 111′.
- Goals after 80′
- 3
- Last goal
- 111′
Busy Goalkeeper
Cape Verde Islands
Cape Verde Islands leaned on their goalkeeper, who made 8 saves.
- Saves
- 8
- Faced xG
- 2.16
- Conceded
- 3
Timeline
L. Messi — assist: L. Martinez
⚽29'
Half-time
⚽59'
D. Duarte — assist: R. Mendes
J. Alvarez ↑ L. Martinez ↓
🔄63'
N. Gonzalez ↑ T. Almada ↓
🔄64'
🔄67'
J. Monteiro ↑ L. Duarte ↓
🔄67'
D. Livramento ↑ N. Da Costa ↓
🟨68'
Kevin Lenini
Foul
🔄80'
H. Varela ↑ J. Cabral ↓
🔄80'
W. Semedo ↑ R. Mendes ↓
L. Paredes ↑ R. de Paul ↓
🔄84'
N. Tagliafico ↑ F. Medina ↓
🔄86'
Full-time
L. Martinez — assist: A. Mac Allister
⚽92'
🔄100'
Y. Semedo ↑ D. Duarte ↓
🔄100'
Benchimol ↑ K. Lenini ↓
⚽103'
S. Lopes Cabral — assist: Y. Semedo
G. Montiel ↑ N. Molina ↓
🔄104'
Extra time — half-time
D. Borges
🔴111'
Gonzalo Montiel
Foul
🟨115'
Match info
Kickoff
VenueHard Rock Stadium, Miami
RefereeDrew Fischer, Canada
CompetitionWorld Cup
Season2026
RoundRound of 32
StatusMatch Finished