Messi, after the encounter, admitted that Argentina couldn’t press Cape Verde properly during the last-32 fixture.
By Kehinde Okeowo
Argentina captain Lionel Messi and Cape Verde coach Bubista have reacted to the tiny West African island’s 3-2 defeat to the World Cup champions in the Round of 32 match.
They expressed their respective opinions about the intriguing encounter played at the Miami Stadium on Friday.
The match ended 1-1 after 90 minutes, but the South American giants went on to win 3-2 in extra time.
Diney Borges’ own goal ensured Lionel Scaloni’s side eliminated the Blue Sharks from the competition.
Cape Verde did not lose any of their matches during the group stage, drawing against Spain, Uruguay and Saudi Arabia.
Speaking at his post-match interview, Messi admitted that Argentina couldn’t press Cape Verde properly during the encounter.
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According to him, Scaloni’s side was also disjointed against the African side, and their lines were far apart.
“I think we couldn’t press them well, our lines were kind of far apart at times,” Messi said via FIFA’s website.
“When we wanted to jump from the defensive pivot, it was too far a distance for the centre-backs, and we ended up a bit disjointed.
“They always had an extra man because we couldn’t match up, and that’s why they kept the ball and made us run, because we couldn’t press them properly.”
However, Cape Verde coach Bubista hailed his team for showing their true identity despite the quality of the opposition.
“We dignify what our country is. We drew twice against the world champions, we took it to extra time,” Bubista said.
He added: “More than anything, it’s being proud of our players who were dignified in the World Cup. We showed our identity.”
With the victory, Argentina will now face Uruguay in the Round of 16, while Cape Verde’s fairy tale at the tournament has come to an end.
