Argentina came to the 2026 FIFA World Cup as defending champions. They nearly left Miami in the Round of 32.
A 3-2 extra-time victory over debutant Cape Verde at Hard Rock Stadium on July 3 was not the clean, dominant performance anyone expected from La Albiceleste. But it was Lisandro Martínez who pulled Argentina back from the edge, scoring the go-ahead goal in the 93rd minute of extra time to send the reigning champions into the Round of 16.
What Martínez actually did
Early in the match, Martínez found Messi with a 42.5-meter diagonal pass. Messi did the rest, converting to open the scoring.
That assist was Martínez’s first at the international level across 31 caps. Then came the goal. With Argentina and Cape Verde level and extra time ticking into its final minutes, Martínez found the net in the 93rd minute to give his side a lead they would not relinquish. It was his second international goal and his first at a World Cup.
