Draw does both France, Denmark favour
MOSCOW: The goals finally dried up at this thrilling World Cup yesterday when a flat France and dull Denmark played out a mutually beneficial 00 draw at Luzhniki Stadium which allowed the French to finish top of group C and the Danes to qualify in second spot.
Thirtysix games in Russia had failed to result in a goalless stalemate, but neither France nor Denmark ever looked like scoring in a tedious affair.
France was already assured qualification but wanted to go through in top spot to avoid a probable last16 clash against inform Croatia.
Denmark could have only been denied qualification had it lost to France and had Australia beaten Peru in the match being simultaneously played in Sochi.
A stunning Andre Carrillo volley gave Peru its first World Cup goal in 36 years before captain Paolo Guerrero grabbed a second as the Andean nation condemned Australia to a 20 defeat in Sochi and an exit from Russia.
Guerrero set up Carrillo’s 18thminute wonder goal from the edge of the box with a delightful cross, then scored from a deflection five minutes after the interval to send Peru’s redandwhite army of fans into ecstasy at the Fisht Stadium.
Although already eliminated, the South Americans head home on a high note, having grabbed their first World Cup win since their 41 defeat of Iran at the 1978 finals in Argentina.
Supporters of Nigeria described their heartbreak after watching the elimination of the national side from the World Cup following a late Argentina goal.
The game in St Petersburg determined which side progressed from group D to the knockout stage and dictated whether or not Argentina forward Lionel Messi — considered by many football fans to be the world’s best player — would
continue to play a role in Russia.
Nigeria was minutes from progressing before Argentina defender Marcos Rojo volleyed home a Gabriel Mercado cross in the 86th minute to give the South Americans a 21 win and passage into the last 16 where they face France.
A revamped but businesslike Croatia topped group D as Ivan Perisic’s lastgasp goal helped it maintain its perfect record with a 21 win in RostovonDon that also ended valiant Iceland’s tournament yesterday.
Perisic, along with Luka Modric the only players not rested, struck in the last minute to confirm its last16 clash with Denmark after Milan Badelj’s secondhalf goal had been cancelled out by Gylfi Sigurdsson’s penalty.
Iceland, which had a handful of good chances and came close to a major upset as the night’s scenarios kept on changing, finished bottom of the group with one point but high in their thunderclapping fans’ esteem. —AAP