Argentina may have survived a huge scare on the pitch, but the drama did not end with the final whistle. The reigning FIFA World Cup champions edged Cape Verde 3-2 after extra time in a thrilling Round of 32 clash that instantly earned “World Cup classic” status. However, moments after the match ended, the excitement on the pitch appeared to spill directly into the stands.
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In a video shared after the match by NewsLiberdade on X, Argentine fans were seen hurling objects, including an empty water bottle, toward Cape Verde supporters. And a Cape Verde fan wasted no time throwing it straight back, while the fan recording the video made his feelings on the matter very clear.
“The Argentines are in the s— that they are, playing things on us. It’s always Argentina right man,” he said.
Whatever specifically triggered the altercation remains unknown. But it almost certainly had everything to do with the intensity of the game, a match that had both sets of fans on the edge of their seats for the better part of two hours.
It started with a Lionel Messi goal in the 29th minute. Then Cape Verde’s Deroy Duarte responded to equalize in the 59th minute. And then amid a flurry of near misses, chances, and a string of impressive saves from Cape Verde goalkeeper Vozinha — who has been nothing short of an ultimate saving grace for his team throughout this tournament — the game went into extra time with neither side able to find a winner in regulation.
The same high-octane story played out again in extra time. Lisandro Martínez put Argentina ahead in the 92nd minute, only for Sidny Lopes Cabral to produce a breathtaking equalizer, a genuine goal-of-the-tournament contender, to pull Cape Verde level once more. However, the heartbreak for the Blue Sharks eventually arrived through a Cristian Romero header that deflected off defender Diney Borges for a cruel own goal.
It was, in every sense, a breathtaking David versus Goliath affair, one that would almost certainly have generated passionate exchanges between both sets of fans throughout the length of the game. And perhaps, once the Argentine supporters finally saw their team through to the next round after such a harrowing ordeal, the celebrations spilled just a little too far over the line.
Argentina will next face Egypt at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia, on July 6th. Their opponents have won two of their last five games, with two draws and one loss against Argentina’s five straight wins.
