Argentina, the reigning world champions, were given the fright of their lives by a fearless Cape Verde side before squeezing into the World Cup last 1...
Argentina, the reigning world champions, were given the fright of their lives by a fearless Cape Verde side before squeezing into the World Cup last 16 with a 3. 2 victory after extra time. This was not a stroll in the Parque de la Independencia. It was a brutal, sweat soaked examination of their credentials, and for long stretches, they looked anything but the holders.Let's be clear from the off. The scoreline flattered the Albiceleste. Cape Verde, a nation with a fraction of Argentina's footballing heritage, played without a shred of fear. They did not park the bus. They pressed high, disrupted Argentina's rhythm in midfield, and caused chaos in pockets of space the South Americans usually defend with such arrogance. For the neutral, it was a breath of fresh air. For Lionel Scaloni, it was a cold bucket of water to the face.The statistic that will dominate the back pages is Lionel Messi's 20th World Cup goal, a milestone that cements his legend further into the marble of this tournament's history. But the real story is the fragility exposed beneath the star dust. Argentina were second best in transitional play for the first hour. Cape Verde broke with speed and purpose, forcing the backline into a frantic, elongated shape. They were lucky to go into the break level, if truth be told.Then came the own goal in extra time. A desperate lunge, a deflection off a Cape Verdean shin, and a collective groan from the bench. It was cruel on the underdogs, who had matched the champions blow for blow. They had the courage to go down swinging, and they deserved a penalty shootout at the very least. This was what you call a classic case of the big team getting out of jail.Scaloni has much to ponder. The tactical flexibility that won them the trophy in Qatar looked rigid here. The low block of Cape Verde stifled the wide players, and the midfield lacked the bite to regain control. If Argentina are to retain their crown, they cannot rely on fortuitous deflections and the singular genius of their captain. They need a performance. They need an identity. Because if a spirited Cape Verde can take them to the wire, the bigger beasts lurking in the knockout rounds will devour them whole.
