FORT LAUDERDALE, FLA. (WSVN) – The upcoming FIFA World Cup match between Argentina and Cape Verde is being regarded as a David-versus-Goliath face-off, and the highly anticipated showdown is going down in South Florida.
7News cameras on Thursday morning captured the hotel in Fort Lauderdale where the Argentinian national team were getting some last-minute rest and relaxation before Friday evening’s knockout-round game at Miami Stadium.
They’re set to square off against the small country of Cape Verde, whose team has reached so many draws against powerhouse moments that they’ve seized the spotlight as one of the underdogs of this year’s tournament.
But come Friday, the Argentinians are hoping that the buck stops with them.
The defending champions have sailed through the group rounds, winning the last game 3-1. Their captain, soccer icon Lionel Messi, didn’t even start in that last match of the group round, but he did score a goal around the 79-minute mark, his sixth of the tournament. Now he’s got a World Cup record by scoring in seven consecutive games.
The team from Cape Verde, a tiny island country located roughly 350 miles off the western coast of Senegal in West Africa, is looking to make it into the Sweet 16 for the first time ever. They were able to hold Spain, Uruguay and Saudi Arabia to a draw, and that was enough to send them into the knockout round.
Players for Cape Verde are not taking anything for granted, especially Vozinha, the 40-year-old goalkeeper who’s gone viral for his stunning blocks.
“I worked all my life for this, for this moment, for this dream,” he said in an interview.
The Argentina-Cape Verde game is set to start Friday at 6 p.m. at the Miami Stadium. Those still looking to go may purchase some tickets on the resale market for about $2,300.
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