What to expect as reigning world champions Argentina take on surprise package Cape Verde

[p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/argentina/f9OppQjp/"]La Albiceleste[/a] certainly don't want to take Pedro Leitao Brito's team lightly, though, after they stunned the football world by holding one of the tournament favourites, [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/spain/bLyo6mco/"]Spain[/a], to a goalless draw in their opening group game, before drawing 2-2 with [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/uruguay/xMk44orG/"]Uruguay[/a] and holding [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/saudi-arabia/biSY8ox4/"]Saudi Arabia[/a] to another 0-0.[/p][h2]Cameroon win in 1990 is the blueprint for Cape Verde[/h2][p]Perhaps Argentina will also do well to recall that they were reigning champions back in 1990 when they played, and lost to, unfancied [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/cameroon/zk1uVG2D/"]Cameroon[/a], in what remains one of the greatest shocks in World Cup history.[/p][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/cape-verde/MocyWdm7/"]Cape Verde[/a] will also be keen to extend their stay at their first-ever WC tournament, after becoming the first side since [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/slovakia/KpLb2q1U/"]Slovakia[/a] in 2010 (and the first African country since [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/ghana/nNBjHale/"]Ghana[/a] in 2006) to get to the knockout stages in their maiden World Cup.[/p][embed guid="4366d7d9-b623-4759-8b73-352dad839837" url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ulxaXc-ad_U" social-type="youtube" /][p]Not since 1998 has a side made it out of the group stage without a win in their three games, either.[/p][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/scaloni-lionel/A1A2ibcF/"]Lionel Scaloni[/a] will want to ensure that Argentina don't take their opponents lightly, given that they've already shown how capable they are of frustrating the opposition.[/p][h2]Vozinha against the world![/h2][p]It's difficult to imagine Cape Verde goalkeeper, [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/vozinha/Q9F1vw7H/"]Vozinha[/a], having another night like the one he had against La Roja, though, where he pulled off an astonishing seven saves to preserve his clean sheet. Not bad for a 40-year-old![/p][p]Only legendary keepers, [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/shilton-peter/lr7B4o38/"]Peter Shilton[/a] and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/zoff-dino/tGtmlQA0/"]Dino Zoff[/a], can also lay claim to keeping multiple clean sheets in the World Cup at 40+ years of age, so Vozinha is in great company.[/p][embed guid="c3015b9b-add9-4bb9-8208-972fb9d90840" url="https://x.com/FIFAWorldCup/status/2066593211435417796?lang=en" social-type="twitter" /][p]With [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/messi-lionel/vgOOdZbd/"]Lionel Messi[/a] hoping to pull clear of the pack in the race for the Golden Boot, Vozinha can certainly expect his goal to be peppered from beginning to end once more.[/p][p]Should La Pulga find the net again, he will extend his scoring record to eight consecutive World Cup games, a feat no one else in tournament history has managed.[/p][infobox id="4ccc1b10-d68f-4c97-bcf4-5e613c17c2e3" /][h2]No wins against CONCACAF sides for the underdogs[/h2][p]Vozinha and his teammates have absolutely nothing to lose at this stage, however, so we might at least see Cape Verde free of the shackles and playing with a degree of freedom, even if they have to accept this will ensure that Argentina will have the lion's share of the ball throughout proceedings.[/p][p]It will be a fourth meeting against CONCACAF sides for Cape Verde, and aside from the draw against Uruguay, the Blue Sharks have also lost 4-2 against [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/chile/KUCG35cM/"]Chile[/a] and 1-0 to [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/ecuador/8tbm8Tri/"]Ecuador[/a].[/p][image alt="Argentina's current form" id="84bdf867-144c-4f54-aa09-e10bf35a8f28" credit-line="Flashscore" guid="fc47869a-4a7b-4c23-ae89-5e260dd96426" original-width="1200" original-height="1200" /][p]A 100% record so far (as part of a 10-match winning streak) has seen Messi and Co. ease into the knockout stages, and a win in this one will set up a Round of 16 clash against the winners in the Australia v Egypt tie. [/p][p]Argentina have won all of their WC games against African opposition bar that Cameroon fixture, but they've also seen seven of their last 13 World Cup knockout matches go to extra time.[/p][h2]If Argentina score early, Cape Verdean low block has to go[/h2][p]With Cape Verde expected to play a 4-1-4-1 formation and just leave [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/rocha-livramento-dailon/Aiy63dji/"]Dailon Livramento[/a] up front on his own to toil, it's entirely possible that Brito will encourage his team to form a low block when Argentina are on the attack - as they're expected to be for most of the game.[/p][p]If the underdogs are to go out, as everyone expects, then they'll want to do so fighting for their lives, rather than leaving the competition without a whimper.[/p][embed guid="8e1658e7-25a9-4245-8798-ff6c2ec04211" url="https://x.com/FIFAWorldCup/status/2067058873836372450?lang=en" social-type="twitter" /][p]They've not conceded a goal in the second-half of their last six games, too, and that may be something that Argentina will be keen to reverse, given that there have been at least 2.5 goals scored in five of their last seven matches in all competitions.[/p][p]The game is likely to be won and lost in midfield, where the guile of [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/de-paul-rodrigo/AZ6TTjDC/"]Rodrigo De Paul[/a], the physicality of [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/mac-allister-alexis/fDPhMB8M/"]Alexis Mac Allister[/a] and the incessant running of [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/fernandez-enzo/nZnbEVWP/"]Enzo Fernandez[/a] could prove crucial in unlocking the Cape Verdean defence.[/p][image alt="Argentina v Cape Verde - Live win probability" id="ffe9eeeb-cb12-4f4a-b53e-83b335257aa4" credit-line="Opta by Stats Perform" guid="e0fb28d1-b397-4652-95dc-473b1cfd467d" original-width="1080" original-height="1080" /][p]Kevin Pina, who will likely play the pivot role in front of his back four, will have his work cut out if the willing runners from deep aren't tracked by his teammates.[/p][p]To that end, [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/monteiro-jamiro/QXkjtqYd/"]Jamiro Monteiro[/a] and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/duarte-deroy/2oo31kfa/"]Deroy Duarte[/a] need to drop back whenever possible to flood the central areas and force Argentina wide, where both Sidney Cabral and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/moreira-steven/zk4qsEuM/"]Steven Moreira[/a] can help contain developing situations.[/p][p]Should Argentina score early, however, the pre-match predictions of a landslide victory might not be so far from the truth.[/p][p][b][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/soccer/argentina-f9OppQjp/cape-verde-MocyWdm7/?mid=O4oeJu9d"]Follow the match with Flashscore[/a][/b].[/p][infobox id="8a8311c3-81b3-440e-8b49-36091db073d1" /]