Denmark, France move on after scoreless draw
Associated Press
A game neither France nor Denmark needed to win produced the World &XS¶V ¿UVW GUDZ DPLG ERRV DQG whistles from fans on Tuesday.
$ VORZ SDFHG JDPH ² RI¿FLDOO\ 1R 37 in Russia — was out of step with a vibrant tournament and ensured DOUHDG\ TXDOL¿HG )UDQFH ZRQ *URXS & and Denmark advanced as runner-up. Both came through unbeaten.
The draw ensured that outcome, though Peru’s 2-0 victory over Australia playing at the same time meant the Danes would have advanced to the round of 16 even had they lost to France.
It was the longest a World Cup had gone without a goalless draw since 1954, which had none.
A French team with six starters resting barely tested Denmark goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel until substitute Nabil Fekir tried two long-range shots.
Much of a 78,011 crowd in Luzhniki Stadium whistled misplaced passes and slow play as the game progressed and Denmark protected its point — likely aware Australia had no chance of winning.
Still, thousands of Denmark fans in a stadium seemed happy enough DW WKH ¿QDO ZKLVWOH
,W ZDV D PRVWO\ IRUJHWWDEOH ¿UVW major tournament start for France goalkeeper Steve Mandanda, who has been a backup at two World Cups and three European Championships. 7KH \HDU ROG PDGH KLV ¿UVW DQG only save in the 54th minute, spilling Christian Eriksen’s free-kick before pouncing on the loose ball.
Croatia 2, Iceland 1: Fielding a side ¿OOHG ZLWK UHVHUYHV &URDWLD HQGHG ,FHODQG¶V ¿UVW :RUOG &XS UXQ ZLWK a win in Rostov-on-Don.
Milan Badelj crashed a volley against the bar, and moments later scored for Croatia in the 53th minute, sprinting LQWR WKH DUHD WR ¿UH D ERXQFLQJ VKRW past goalkeeper Hannes Halldorsson.
Croatia playmaker Luka Modric OHG WKH DOUHDG\ TXDOL¿HG &URDWV IRU 65 minutes before being taken off, as his team remained in low-gear for most of the match to contain the Icelanders who had needed a win to hope for a place in the last 16.
Iceland equalized with a penalty VKRW WDNHQ E\ *\O¿ 6LJXUGVVRQ LQ WKH 76th minute after substitute Dejan Lovren carelessly handled the ball. But Ivan Perisic punished a defensive error to make it 2-1 at 90 minutes.
Russian fans at the 45,000-seat Rostov Arena rooted for the underdogs as the traveling Iceland supporters kept up their singing and chanting all evening.
Australia 2, Peru 0: Back at the :RUOG &XS IRU WKH ¿UVW WLPH VLQFH 1982, Peru failed to score a goal in their opening two matches, but the team gave its fans a reason to celebrate when it ended Australia’s hopes of advancing to the knockout round with a victory.
The Australians had to beat Peru and hope Denmark lost to France in the other Group C match, but neither result occurred. France and Denmark drew 0-0 in Moscow.
Andre Carrillo’s 18th-minute goal — a half-volley from inside the area ² ZDV 3HUX¶V ¿UVW LQ D :RUOG &XS since its last appearance 36 years ago. Peru hadn’t won a World Cup match since defeating Iran in 1978.
Peru captain Paolo Guerrero, who almost missed the tournament because of a doping suspension, scored the other goal in the 50th with a leftfooted strike after getting to a loose ball inside the area.
Australia striker Tim Cahill, a 38-yearold veteran who entered the match in the 53rd minute, had a chance to EHFRPH RQO\ WKH ¿IWK SOD\HU WR VFRUH in four World Cups, joining Pele, Uwe Seeler, Miroslav Klose and Cristiano Ronaldo. But he had few chances.