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FC·July 3, 2026 07:27 PM ET

Cape Verde score against Argentina in first World Cup knockout match

Cape Verde strike in their first World Cup knockout.

Wire Report IntelligenceUpdated Jul 32 min read
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🌎🇨🇻 Cape Verde score against Argentina on their first knockout World Cup game ever. Duarte goal, a magic moment for a c

What happened: Cape Verde found the net against Argentina through Duarte during their first-ever World Cup knockout appearance. The goal came in the round-of-32 tie against one of the tournament favorites. It marked a milestone moment for the island nation, home to a population of roughly 500,000.

Why it matters: For a debutant nation, reaching the knockout stage and then scoring against an Argentina side built around Lionel Messi is a landmark on the global stage. The result carries outsized significance for a country of half a million people making its deepest run in World Cup history. Cape Verde entered the match as heavy underdogs against a side unbeaten and high-scoring across its recent run.

By the numbers: Argentina came into the knockout tie in dominant form, scoring 2.7 and allowing just 0.3 goals across a 3-0 season stretch with a three-match winning streak. Cape Verde, by contrast, had scored 0.7 and conceded 0.7 per match. Duarte's strike is Cape Verde's second goal of this World Cup, following Kevin Pina's first-ever World Cup goal on June 21.

What to watch: Attention turns to how Argentina respond and whether Cape Verde can hold their line for the remainder of the match.

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