Argentina vs Cape Verde Islands, Worldcup 2026 LAST 32
Overview
Match Preview
Argentina vs Cape Verde Islands — Worldcup at Hard Rock Stadium.
- Argentina 3 games · 9 pts (2026/26)
- Cape Verde Islands 3 games · 3 pts (2026/26)
Match Details
- Referee Drew Fischer
- Assistant 1 Michael Barwegen (USA)
- Assistant 2 Lyes Arfa
24 games this season
🟨 2.9/game
⚽ 10.8 goals/game
🟥 2 total
Standings
| # | Team | P | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mexico | 3 | 9 |
| 2 | South Africa | 3 | 4 |
| 3 | South Korea | 3 | 3 |
| 4 | Czechia | 3 | 1 |
| 5 | Switzerland | 3 | 7 |
| 6 | Canada | 3 | 4 |
| 7 | Bosnia-Herzegovina | 3 | 4 |
| 8 | Qatar | 3 | 1 |
| 9 | Brazil | 3 | 7 |
| 10 | Morocco | 3 | 7 |
| 11 | Scotland | 3 | 3 |
| 12 | Haiti | 3 | 0 |
| 13 | United States | 3 | 6 |
| 14 | Australia | 3 | 4 |
| 15 | Paraguay | 3 | 4 |
| 16 | Turkey | 3 | 3 |
| 17 | Germany | 3 | 6 |
| 18 | Ivory Coast | 3 | 6 |
| 19 | Ecuador | 3 | 4 |
| 20 | Curacao | 3 | 1 |
| 21 | Netherlands | 3 | 7 |
| 22 | Japan | 3 | 5 |
| 23 | Sweden | 3 | 4 |
| 24 | Tunisia | 3 | 0 |
| 25 | Belgium | 3 | 5 |
| 26 | Egypt | 3 | 5 |
| 27 | Iran | 3 | 3 |
| 28 | New Zealand | 3 | 1 |
| 29 | Spain | 3 | 7 |
| 30 | Cape Verde Islands | 3 | 3 |
| 31 | Uruguay | 3 | 2 |
| 32 | Saudi Arabia | 3 | 2 |
| 33 | France | 3 | 9 |
| 34 | Norway | 3 | 6 |
| 35 | Senegal | 3 | 3 |
| 36 | Iraq | 3 | 0 |
| 37 | Argentina | 3 | 9 |
| 38 | Austria | 3 | 4 |
| 39 | Algeria | 3 | 4 |
| 40 | Jordan | 3 | 0 |
| 41 | Colombia | 3 | 7 |
| 42 | Portugal | 3 | 5 |
| 43 | Congo DR | 3 | 4 |
| 44 | Uzbekistan | 3 | 0 |
| 45 | England | 3 | 7 |
| 46 | Croatia | 3 | 6 |
| 47 | Ghana | 3 | 4 |
| 48 | Panama | 3 | 0 |
Head-to-Head
Last 5 meetings
Recent Form
Season Stats
| Argentina | Cape Verde Islands | |
|---|---|---|
| #37 | Position | #30 |
| 9 | Points | 3 |
| 3 | Played | 3 |
| 3 / 0 / 0 | W / D / L | 0 / 3 / 0 |
| 8 | Scored | 2 |
| 1 | Conceded | 2 |
| +7 | GD | +0 |
| 3.00 | PPG | 1.00 |
| 100% | Win % | 0% |
Key Stats
100%
Both Teams to Score
H2H (1 games)
H2H (1 games)
100%
Over 2.5 Goals
H2H history
H2H history
25%
Clean Sheets
Argentina this season
Argentina this season
50%
Clean Sheets
Cape Verde Islands this season
Cape Verde Islands this season
Argentina are 37th (9 pts). Cape Verde Islands are 30th (3 pts).
Goal Timing (This Season)
Argentina
0-15
1/1
16-30
3/–
31-45
2/–
46-60
1/3
61-75
–/2
76+
12/2
■ Scored ■ Conceded
Cape Verde Islands
0-15
–/–
16-30
1/1
31-45
–/2
46-60
1/–
61-75
1/–
76+
1/2
■ Scored ■ Conceded
Top Scorers (This Season)
Argentina
| Lionel Messi | 8 G | 4 A |
| Lautaro Martinez | 3 G | 1 A |
Events
Match Events
- 0' In just a few seconds Hard Rock Stadium will turn into a battlefield for Argentina and Cape Verde Islands.
- 5' Cape Verde Islands international Diney Borges has been a key figure this campaign — 0 goals and 0 assists in the Array this season.
- 10' Both keepers have barely been tested. Argentina and Cape Verde Islands are cancelling each other out in the centre of the park.
- 15' Spectators do not have much to choose from both teams. The sides had several scoring chances but they still need a bit more than just a sight of a goal.
- 20' Matchday of the Array and both teams know exactly what is at stake tonight.
- 25' Neither side is committing men forward. This has all the hallmarks of a tense, tactical contest.
- 29' A goal from the Argentina international Lionel Messi! He fires home on 29 to make it 1-0!
- 34' It’s high time Bubista made some changes to put the his team’s game back to action.
- 39' Players seem to put ease on their energy level Spectators hardly appreciate such approach. Teams need to speed up the tempo.
- 44' The tempo has dropped considerably in the last few minutes. Bubista will be considering his options from the bench.
- 49' Argentina has dominated the recent head-to-head record, winning 1 of the last 1 meetings.
- 54' It looks surprising Argentina does not make any changes. Nuno Da Costa has some obvious troubles when approaching to the goal.
- 59' Deroy Duarte makes no mistake. The score reads 1-1 and Cape Verde Islands are in front.
- 64' A change in the Argentina ranks — Lautaro Martinez exits the field as Julian Alvarez enters on 64.
- 67' Another substitution for Cape Verde Islands to replace Laros Duarte by Jamiro Monteiro on 67 minute.
- 68' The referee does not hesitate — a card for Kevin Pina on 68 minutes.
- 73' We are waiting for someone to take the initiative. Who will be the first to commit to attack?
- 78' Both teams are passing the ball around with high level of urgency. Argentina needs to do something about it to get closer to the goal.
- 80' Cape Verde Islands make a change. Jovane Cabral trudges off to be replaced by Helio Varela on 80 minutes.
- 84' The Argentina bench stirs into life. Rodrigo de Paul is withdrawn and Leandro Paredes gets his opportunity.
- 85' Fresh legs for Argentina! Nicolas Tagliafico comes on to replace Facundo Medina.
- 90' will be watching from the dugout nervously. His Argentina side need to improve if they are to claim all three points.
- What a match! Full time at {STADIUM} — Argentina 3-2 Cape Verde Islands.
Lineups
Argentina Lineups
4-1-2-3Starting XI
- 23
- 10
- 22
- 7
- 20
- 25
- 13
- 6
-
26
Nahuel Molina ↓ Gonzalo Montiel 104'
- 16
- 24
Bench
- 19
-
3
Nicolas Tagliafico ↑ 85'
-
15
Nicolas Gonzalez ↑ 64'
- 12
- 11
- 1
-
5
Leandro Paredes ↑ 84'
- 14
-
4
Gonzalo Montiel ↑ 104'
- 2
-
9
Julian Alvarez ↑ 64'
- 8
- 21
- 17
- 18
Coach
Lionel Scaloni
Cape Verde Islands Lineups
4-1-4-1Starting XI
- 1
- 3
- 4
- 13
- 22
-
6
Kevin Pina ↓ Gilson Tavares 100'
-
14
Deroy Duarte ↓ Yannick Semedo 100'
-
15
Laros Duarte ↓ Jamiro Monteiro 67'
-
7
Jovane Cabral ↓ Helio Varela 80'
-
20
Ryan Mendes ↓ Willy Semedo 80'
- 21
Bench
- 12
- 23
- 2
- 5
- 24
- 25
- 8
-
10
Jamiro Monteiro ↑ 67'
- 11
-
16
Yannick Semedo ↑ 100'
- 18
-
9
Gilson Tavares ↑ 100'
-
17
Willy Semedo ↑ 80'
-
19
Dailon Rocha Livramento ↑ 67'
-
26
Helio Varela ↑ 80'
Coach
Bubista
H2H
H2H Top Scorers
| Player | Goals |
|---|---|
| Christian Romero | 1 |
| Lisandro Martinez | 1 |
| Deroy Duarte | 1 |
| Sidny Lopes Cabral | 1 |
| Lionel Messi | 1 |
Head to Head
Argentina Form
Predictions
Prediction accuracy
4 / 4
2.14
Argentina xG
Expected Goals
Dixon-Coles · Bivariate Poisson · Neg. Binomial · Elo
0.93
Cape Verde Islands xG
I would bet for:
Argentina to win 63% + Over 2.5 goals 58%
Match Result
✓ CorrectActual: Argentina win
Both Teams to Score
✓ Correct
Avg goals/match: 3.07
Actual: Yes — both scored
Over / Under Goals
✓ O/U 2.5| Line | Over | Under | |
|---|---|---|---|
| ± 0.5 | 94% |
|
6% |
| ± 1.5 | 81% |
|
19% |
| ± 2.5 | 58% |
|
42% |
| ± 3.5 | 36% |
|
64% |
| ± 4.5 | 20% |
|
80% |
Double Chance
Argentina or Draw
84%
Draw or Cape Verde Islands
37%
Argentina or Cape Verde Islands
78%
Half-Time Result
✓ CorrectActual: Argentina win at HT
Correct Score
✗ 3–2 not predicted3 – 2Actual
2 – 0
10.5%
1 – 1
10%
2 – 1
9.5%
1 – 0
9.4%
3 – 0
7.3%
3 – 1
6.8%
0 – 0
6.3%
2 – 2
4.4%
1 – 2
4.1%
4 – 0
3.9%
4 – 1
3.7%
0 – 1
3.6%
Asian Handicap — Argentina
| Handicap | Argentina covers | Push | Cape Verde Islands covers |
|---|---|---|---|
| -2.5 | 21% | — | 79% |
| -2 | 21% | 19% | 59% |
| -1.5 | 41% | — | 59% |
| -1 | 41% | 23% | 36% |
| -0.5 | 64% | — | 36% |
| +0.5 | 86% | — | 14% |
| +1 | 86% | 9% | 5% |
| +1.5 | 95% | — | 5% |
| +2 | 95% | 4% | 1% |
| +2.5 | 99% | — | 1% |
Clean Sheet
Argentina keeps clean sheet
40%
✓
Cape Verde Islands keeps clean sheet
13%
✓
Predictions are statistical estimates based on season form, H2H history, and a Poisson model. Not financial advice.