Football icon Lionel Messi wiped the sweat from his forehead and breathed a sigh of relief. His Argentina teammates did the same. A thrilling, unforgettable World Cup match with underdog Cape Verde was over — and the defending champions survived after being pushed to the brink.

Cape Verde equalised in regulation and again in extra time, but the Blue Sharks could not respond to Argentina’s third goal, and La Albiceleste advanced to the round of 16 with a 3-2 victory on Friday.