GROUP D MESSI MISSES FROM THE SPOT
ARGENTINA Caballero; Salvio, Otamendi, Rojo, Tagliafico; Mascherano, Biglia (Banega 54); Meza (Higuain 84), Messi, Di Maria (Pavon 75); Aguero
ICELAND Halldorsson; Saevarsson, Arnason, R Sigurdsson, Magnusson; J Gudmundsson (Gislason 63), Gunnarsson (A Skulason 76), Hallfredsson, Bjarnason; G Sigurdsson; Finnbogason (Sigurdarson 89) Argentina’s opening game ends in frustration as they are held by a disciplined Iceland side playing their first-ever World Cup match. Lionel Messi is denied a winner by Iceland keeper Hannes Halldorsson, who saves a second-half penalty and is the anchor of a defence that resists a wave of Argentina attacks.
GOALS
1-0 Sergio Aguero collects a mishit shot from Marcos Rojo, turns past Ragnar Sigurdsson and fires home.
1-1 Alfred Finnbogason taps in through the legs of Nicolas Otamendi after a cross-shot from Hordur Magnusson is not cleared.
TALKING POINT
The clash of styles was highlighted by the passaccuracy statistics. Argentina completed 92 per cent of their passes, compared to just 67 per cent for Iceland.
MATTER OF FACT
Javier Mascherano made his 144th appearance for Argentina, overtaking Javier Zanetti as their most capped player. CROATIA Subasic; Vrsaljko, Vida, Lovren, Strinic; Rakitic, Modric; Rebic (Kovacic 78), Kramaric (Brozovic 60), Perisic; Mandzukic (Pjaca 86) ■ Rakitic 30, Brozovic 89 NIGERIA Uzoho; Abdullahi, Balogun, Troost-Ekong, Idowu; Ndidi, Etebo; Moses, Mikel (Nwankwo 88), Iwobi (Musa 62); Ighalo (Iheanacho 76) ■ Troost-Ekong 70
MODRIC SETTLES MATTERS
Croatia take advantage of a lucky break in the opening half and a penalty after the interval to edge past a Nigeria side who fail to rise to the occasion. The Europeans go ahead from a deflected corner as neither side offer much in the attacking third and Croatia settle matters from the penalty spot.
KEY MOMENTS
1-0 Mario Mandzukic’s header from a Luka Modric corner is going wide but is deflected in by Oghenekaro Etebo.
2-0 Luka Modric drills home a penalty after William Troost-Ekong is penalised for holding back Mandzukic at a corner.
TALKING POINT
Luka Modric’s penalty in the 72nd minute was Croatia’s first shot on target in what was an extremely underwhelming match. Their first shot on target from open play came from Mateo Kovacic in the 93rd minute. ARGENTINA Cabellero; Mercado, Otamendi, Tagliafico; Salvio (Pavon 56), Mascherano, Perez (Dybala 68), Acuna; Messi, Aguero (Higuain 55), Meza ■ Mercado 51, Otamendi 85, Acuna 87 CROATIA Subasic; Vrsaljko, Lovren, Vida, Strinic; Rakitic, Brozovic; Rebic (Kramaric 57), Modric, Perisic (Kovacic 82); Mandzukic (Corluka 90+3) ■ Rebic 40, Mandzukic 58, Vrsaljko 67, Brozovic 90+4
CABALLERO MISTAKE IS COSTLY
Croatia sweep aside a miserable Argentina to qualify for the knockout stage as a disastrous error by Willy Caballero changes the course of the game. It is a wretched performance from Argentina, who are uncertain of coach Jorge Sampaoli’s switch to a back three. Sergio Aguero is replaced as Sampaoli throws on extra attackers in Gonzalo Higuain, Cristian Pavon and Paulo Dybala in a desperate search for an equaliser. And with Lionel Messi increasingly unable to influence the game, Croatia exploit the gaps left in midfield to add further goals.
GOALS
0-1 Willy Caballero attempts to clear a backpass from Gabriel Mercado but miscues the ball to Ante Rebic who volleys past him.
0-2 Luka Modric makes some space 25 yards out and curls a shot past Caballero.
0-3 Ivan Rakitic passes the ball into the net after his initial shot is saved by Caballero.
TALKING POINT
It was a terrible mistake by Willy Caballero that gifted Ante Rebic the chance to score the opening goal but the Croatia forward was lucky to still be on the pitch after he stamped on Gabriel Mercado in the first half.
“A win is a win is a win. It doesn’t matter how you score – what matters is that you score” Croatia coach Zlatko Dalic
NIGERIA Uzoho; Balogun, Troost-Ekong, Omeruo; Moses, Etebo (Iwobi 90), Mikel, Ndidi, Idowu (Ebuehi 46); Musa, Iheanacho (Ighalo 85) ■ Idowu 44
ICELAND Halldorsson; Saevarsson, Arnason, R Sigurdsson (Ingason 65), Magnusson; Gislason, Gunnarsson (A Skulason 87), G Sigurdsson, Bjarnason; Bodvarsson (Sigurdarson 71), Finnbogason
SUPER EAGLES ARE TOO QUICK
Needing to win to stay in the tournament, Nigeria achieve their aim with two second-half goals from Ahmed Musa, whose blistering pace destroys Iceland’s tight organisation. After an incident-free first half, Nigeria spring to life after the break. Victor Moses leads a swift counterattack that is finished by Musa, who then outruns the Iceland defence and dispatches his second.
GOALS
1-0 From an Iceland corner, Victor Moses breaks into the Iceland half and crosses for Ahmed Musa, who controls acrobatically and then volleys home.
2-0 Musa races onto a clearance and beats Kari Arnason, before rounding the keeper and firing home.
TALKING POINT
Nigeria were a side transformed from their opening game thanks to the changes made by coach Gernot Rohr. Ahmed Musa and Kelechi Iheanacho both started in a revamped 3-5-2.
MATTER OF FACT
At 19 years and 237 days, Nigeria’s Francis Uzoho is the second-youngest keeper to keep a clean sheet at a World Cup, behind North Korea’s Li Chan-myong against Italy in 1966. NIGERIA Uzoho; Balogun, Troost-Ekong, Omeruo (Iwobi 90); Moses, Etebo, Mikel, Ndidi, Idowu; Musa (Nwankwo 90+2), Iheanacho (Ighalo 46) ■ Balogun 32, Mikel 90+1 ARGENTINA Armani; Mercado, Otamendi, Rojo, Tagliafico (Aguero 80); Perez (Pavon 61), Mascherano, Banega, Di Maria (Meza 72); Messi, Higuain ■ Mascherano 50, Banega 64, Messi 90+4
ROJO SAVES HIS SIDE
Marcos Rojo is the unexpected hero, keeping Argentina in the tournament with a late volley. It is a devastating blow for Nigeria, who are more than a match for Argentina. A refocused Lionel Messi gives Argentina the lead, but defensive mistakes allow Nigeria back in the game. As the clock ticks down to an Argentinian exit, Gonzalo Higuain puts an easy chance over the bar, while Odion Ighalo has two opportunities to put Nigeria beyond reach before Rojo’s strike.
GOALS
0-1 Lionel Messi controls a long pass from Ever Banega, his second touch taking him past Kenneth Omeruo, and he then sweeps home a right-foot shot past Francis Uzoho.
1-1 Victor Moses strokes home the penalty after Javier Mascherano pulls back Leon Balogun.
1-2 Marcos Rojo stays in the opposition half after an Argentina attack breaks down and then smashes home Gabriel Mercado’s cross. ICELAND Halldorsson; Saevarsson, Ingason, R Sigurdsson (Sigurdarson 70), Magnusson; Gunnarsson, Hallfredsson; J Gudmundsson, G Sigurdsson, Bjarnason (Traustason 90); Finnbogason (A Gudmundsson 85) ■ Hallfredsson 59, Finnbogason 64, Saevarsson 84 CROATIA L Kalinic; Jedvaj, Corluka, Caleta-Car, Pivaric; Modric (Bradaric 65), Badelj; Pjaca (Lovren 70), Kovacic (Rakitic 81), Perisic; Kramaric ■ Pjaca 70, Jedvaj 83
GOALS WEAKENED CROATIA TOO GOOD
Trailing to a goal from Milan Badelj, Gylfi Sigurdsson makes amends for his penalty miss against Nigeria by dispatching a spot-kick to bring Iceland level. But as they push for a late goal that might keep them in the tournament, space opens up for Croatia’s Ivan Perisic to grab a lastgasp winner. 0-1 Milan Badelj arrives late in the box to slam home Josip Pivaric’s deflected cross. 1-1 Gylfi Sigurdsson dispatches the penalty after Dejan Lovren handles. 1-2 Badelj wins possession in midfield and quickly feeds Ivan Perisic who fires home.
TALKING POINT
Only Luka Modric and Ivan Perisic retained their starting places for the final group game after coach Zlatko Dalic made wholesale changes.
MATTER OF FACT
Iceland’s three second-half yellow cards were their first of the tournament.
“What I like in my young team is humility, solidarity and fighting spirit. I thought before this World Cup we were here to learn” Nigeria coach Gernot Rohr