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Argentina survive a heroic Cape Verde (3-2), reaching the last 16 through Messi and an extra-time own goal
Messi put the champions ahead (29'), but debutants Cape Verde levelled twice (Deroy Duarte 59'; Lopes Cabral 103'). Lautaro (90+2') and a Diney Borges own goal in extra time (111') spared an Argentina side that will face Egypt in the last 16.

The champions' curse: when the reigning winner falls at the first hurdle
France 2002, Italy 2010, Spain 2014 and Germany 2018 all crashed out in the group stage as reigning champions — a pattern haunting recent winners.

Eleven seconds: the fastest goal in World Cup history
Hakan Şükür scored after 10.8 seconds against South Korea in the 2002 third-place match, the fastest goal ever netted at a World Cup.

Egypt knock Australia out on penalties (1-1, 4-2) to reach the last 16 for the first time
Emam Ashour put Egypt ahead (13') and a Mohamed Hany own goal levelled it for Australia (55'). With no goals in extra time, the Pharaohs won the shootout 4-2 —Salah among the scorers— for a historic milestone. They await the winner of Argentina-Cape Verde.

The third-place match: the most bittersweet medal
No one dreams of playing it, yet for some teams it has been their finest page. The story of the match played between two disappointments.

The golden goal and the silver goal: the rules that no longer exist
Between 1998 and 2002, a goal in extra time could end the match instantly. Laurent Blanc scored the first in World Cup history; İlhan Mansız the last.