When Argentina twice conceded equalizing goals to Cape Verde in the round of 32 on Friday night, the decidedly partisan Albiceleste crowd did not grow quiet.

If anything, the volume increased as La Doce made the stadium in Miami Gardens, Fla., their own, imploring their side to a 3-2, extra-time victory that will go down as one of the all-time great World Cup matches.

For Argentina manager Lionel Scaloni, it was very much appreciated.

“I think the (fans) are the first ones who understand that this is Argentina, nothing is easy,” Scaloni said through an interpreter. “When you have bad results, you must have character as you have 47 million people rooting for you, and you need the courage to bounce back from that. And this team has it. I think people know it.”

At a tournament where critics have questioned whether the matchday atmosphere would suffer as a result of record-high ticket prices, Argentina’s supporters have continued to do whatever it takes to pack American stadiums.

It was particularly true Friday in South Florida, which has one of the country’s highest concentrations of Argentine lineage, and an MLS team in Inter Miami that is the club home of Albiceleste stars Lionel Messi and Rodrigo de Paul.

“There are Argentinians everywhere,” Messi said through an interpreter. “Many people came here. Even those who came without tickets, they had a lot of excitement, and they supported us as they always do.”

Fans of other South American nations — particularly Colombia and Ecuador — have also created fiercely partisan environments despite ticket prices.

Yet after Argentina ended a 36-year drought and won the 2022 World Cup, perhaps none are as unrelenting as those who support the Albiceleste with the confidence that such support will be rewarded.

That was eventually true Friday, long after Messi opened the scoring with his World Cup-record-increasing 20th career goal. The matter wasn’t settled until Cristian Romero’s 111th-minute header caromed off Cape Verde defender Diney Borges and over the line.

Even Cape Verde manager Bubista noticed the resiliency of Argentina’s support following his side’s two game-tying goals, including a fabulous strike from Sidny Lopes Cabral that made it 2-all in the 103rd minute.

“Looking at the stadium virtually filled with Argentinians also shows the greatness of the team, of the nation, of their football,” he said. “I think they’re already used to that. Obviously the public in attendance tonight helped with that at points.

“Even when we equalized, we felt the (fans) cheering Argentina on in moments of difficulty throughout the match.”

–Ian Nicholas Quillen, Field Level Media

Jake McCarthy hit the first pitch of the home half of the first inning for a home run and later added a grand slam, propelling the Colorado Rockies to a 15-3 shellacking of the San Francisco Giants in the opener of a three-game series Friday night in Denver.

McCarthy finished with four hits and a career-high six RBIs, and Cole Carrigg drove in three runs and tripled twice for the Rockies, who won their third game in a row.

The 15 runs were Colorado’s second most this season, one more than the Rockies put up in a 14-4 home win over the Miami Marlins on Thursday but far below their total in a 23-9 win over the Athletics on June 14 in Las Vegas.

McCarthy’s first-swing homer came off Giants ace Logan Webb (5-6), the National League Pitcher of the Month for June. Webb struggled through a three-inning outing, allowing seven runs and 11 hits. He walked two and struck out two.

The Rockies wasted no time piling on Webb after McCarthy’s homer. They scored twice more on three more hits in the first inning, then tallied two more in both the second and third innings, building a 7-1 lead.

Ezequiel Tovar launched his seventh homer to account for the second-inning runs. Carrigg had his first triple in the third before scoring on a fielder’s choice, and McCarthy added an RBI single.

Up 7-2, Colorado busted the game wide open with a seven-run fifth, highlighted by McCarthy’s second career grand slam. The blast made the left fielder just the seventh player in major league history to record a leadoff home run and a grand slam in the same game, according to MLB.com.

The two homers gave McCarthy nine for the season.

Rockies starter Ryan Feltner (3-2) coasted through six innings, striking out nine. He allowed all three Giants runs, two earned, on six hits and no walks.

Making his major league debut, Gabriel Hughes shut out the Giants on two hits over the final three innings to earn a save.

Kyle Karros scored three times, while McCarthy, Tovar, Carrigg, Hunter Goodman and Edouard Julien all scored twice for the Rockies, who improved to 3-1 against the Giants this season. Tovar also compiled three hits and three RBIs, Karros had the club’s third triple among his three hits, and Goodman and Mickey Moniak chipped in with two hits apiece.

Colorado totaled 18 hits, seven for extra bases.

Rafael Devers belted his 16th home run among two hits and Casey Schmitt had a pair of singles for the Giants, who have lost three of four to begin a six-game trip.

–Field Level Media

Jhon Arias scored the lone goal in the 14th minute and Colombia earned a spot in the World Cup’s round of 16 with a 1-0 victory over Ghana on Friday in Kansas City, Mo.

Arias’ goal held up as the Colombian defense didn’t allow Ghana to get a single shot on goal against goalkeeper Camilo Vargas.

Colombia will face Switzerland in the round of 16 on Tuesday in Vancouver.

Colombia didn’t qualify for the 2022 World Cup, but they did reach the round of 16 in 2018 and the quarterfinals in 2014.

Lawrence Ati Zigi was stellar in goal with seven saves for Ghana.

Colombia had a 16-8 edge in shots and placed eight on target.

Luis Suarez set up the Colombia goal when he sent a cross from the right side toward the center. The ball narrowly sailed over the heads of two players — one from each team — to the wide-open Arias, who sent a right-footed shot into the far corner.

Luis Diaz had a solid opportunity for Colombia in the 39th minute, but his close-range right-footed shot was wide left.

Colombia kept the heat on and had a chance in the first minute of first-half stoppage time. Daniel Munoz sent a cross over to Johan Mojica, but his header was knocked aside by Zigi’s right hand.

Zigi made two big saves in a short span of the second half to keep the margin at one.

In the 55th minute, Gustavo Puerta took a shot from the left side and pinpointed it for the far post, but Zigi knocked the ball away with both hands. Three minutes later, Diaz had another close-range opportunity, but Zigi again thwarted his right-footed shot.

Colombia took another shot at adding to the lead on Juan Fernando Quintero’s corner kick in the 81st minute. Davinson Sanchez fought to find positioning, but his header was saved by Zigi.

As time dwindled away, Colombia kept on the pressure as Ghana struggled to come close to an equalizer.

–Field Level Media