Lionel Messi faces a surprising test: Vozinha, Cape Verde’s 40-year-old goalie - BERITAJA

Since this World Cup began, really galore group person learned about Cape Verde, the mini federation disconnected the westbound seashore of Africa? In its opening match, Cape Verde introduced itself pinch a tie against mighty Spain. Then it recorded different against Uruguay, and different against Saudi Arabia, making it the smallest state to ever suffice for the World Cup’s knockout round.

Its reward? A day pinch Argentina successful the information of 32. The Cape Verde vs. Argentina lucifer was billed arsenic a re-imagining of David vs. Goliath. It marked the largest discrepancy successful world rankings betwixt 2 teams successful the knockout information ever. But arsenic the crippled unfolded Friday night, the crippled really boiled to a title betwixt 2 individual players.

Argentina’s 39-year-old surviving fable Lionel Messi vs. Cape Verde’s 40-year-old goalkeeper Vozinha.

Messi struck first. In the 29th minute, Argentina sent a walk toward the net, arsenic Messi hit the defense pinch an unthinkable first step. He settled the shot pinch a gentle touc and past poked the shot into the precocious portion of the net, earlier Vozinha really knew what happened.

That was Messi’s seventh extremity of the tourney and his 20th wide successful World Cup play, the about successful history — extending the grounds he group earlier this tournament. Messi started this World Cup pinch a chapeau instrumentality against Algeria, past followed pinch 2 much goals against Austria and different against Jordan for bully measure.

In the 2nd half Friday, he seemed connected the precipice of scoring astatine slightest 2 more, if not for Vozinha. In the 63^rd minute, Messi collapsed free connected different tally into the box, wherever he recovered himself one-on-one fundamentally pinch a Cape Verde defender connected his near hip. Vozinha crept toward Messi, alternatively than hold connected his backmost foot, and stuffed Messi’s right-footed shot.

About 10 minutes later, Messi lined up for a free footwear conscionable extracurricular the box. As Cape Verde prepared its defense, the referee blew the whistle, meaning Messi could proceed. Trying to drawback Cape Verde off-guard, Messi coiled a left-footed changeable toward the precocious correct area of the net. But Vozinha dove, afloat extended his body, and knocked the shot away.

Vozinha, 40 years old, is akin to Messi successful that he’s besides successful the later stages of his career. But he didn’t go a family sanction until this tourney began, erstwhile he blanked Spain successful a 0-0 tie that instantly made Vozinha a leader astatine location and abroad.

While Argentina has players who’ve played successful immoderate of the champion leagues successful the world, Vozinha starred for clubs successful countries specified arsenic Cyprus and Slovakia. He has played for Cape Verde since 2012, and ne'er played successful the World Cup until his cleanable expanse against Spain.

Vozinha could only clasp up successful the look of a relentless Argentina onslaught for truthful long, however.

Early successful other time, successful the 92nd minute, Argentina took the lead. After a Messi area was headed to the correct of the box, Lisandro Martínez collected the shot pinch a soft touch, past blasted a left-footed changeable from a tight perspective wrong the adjacent post.

Still, Vozinha would get different chance to play hero. After a shocking equalizer from Sidny Lopes Cabral tied the lucifer astatine 2-2, Vozinha made his eighth prevention connected a Messi changeable from the apical of the box.