Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni admitted his players were pushed to their limits in the Round of 32 tie against Cape, but insisted that the spirit that carried them through a gruelling extra-time contest, can help them overcome anything.
“There are areas for improvement, but they've shown resilience," Scaloni said after the 3-2 win in Miami. "The players are tired because of extra time – too many minutes – and some cramps.
"But when they play with their hearts, they can overcome anything," he added, praising his squad's response to a draining 120 minutes against the World Cup debutants.
Cape Verde twice pegged Argentina back, with Deroy Duarte and Sidny Lopes Cabral both scoring equalisers before Cristian Romero's header, deflected in for an own goal, settled the tie in the 111th minute.
"The team showed their character and their worth today," Scaloni said, reflecting on a performance that stretched his players far beyond what many had expected before kick-off.
"That was for those who said we had an easy run in the draw," he told reporters, acknowledging the scale of the challenge posed by Cape Verde's resistance. "Sure, we deserved to win and go through, but it was an extremely difficult match.”
Lopes Cabral's curling strike into the top corner, in particular, left Scaloni rattled despite his composed exterior on the touchline. "I just wanted the match to be over," he said.
"You saw the stunning goal they scored. I'm always wary. I was calmer than I looked. Everyone thought it would be a walk in the park, but we knew it wouldn't be."
Asked if the pressure of being favourites had weighed on his side, Scaloni pushed back firmly.
"No. The best thing about this team is that it just keeps going, keeps going, keeps going," he said.
"The boys keep attacking with their heart on their boots. I think we rose to the occasion. The pitch was strange; the ball wouldn't run as we are used to, not ideal at all."
For Scaloni, the result captured something deeper about his side's identity.
"What does it mean to be Argentine? To suffer," he said.
"Cape Verde gave 200 percent, and in football that levels things out. The fans are the first to understand that this is Argentina and nothing for us is easy.
"There is something special to this jersey. We will keep going forward and there is no way we haven't come out of this stronger."
Argentina will next play Egypt in the last 16 in Atlanta on July 7.