Arunava about Football A look at football & the world through my eyes!
Related Articles
The 2018 FIFA World Cup continued on Tuesday, June 26 evening with Croatia beating and eliminating Iceland in a 2-1 win at the Rostov Arena.
Croatia, already qualified for the kncokout stages, made nine changes to their starting line-up but they still had more of the ball in the first half. Iceland meanwhile first concentrated to defend and towards the end of the half had their chances to go ahead through Magnusson, Sigursson, Bjarnason multiple times, Finnbogason andGunnarsson, but at the break it was goalless.
Croatia were better of the blocks in the second session, first Milan Badelj hit the crossbar and then into the net in the 53rd minute to give their ‘B’ team the led.
But Iceland were not shocked and they continued to attack but somehow scoring a goal was not happening for them. Then in the 76th minute they earned a penalty as substitue Dejan Lovren played handball and Glyfi Sigurdsson unlike against Nigeria scored from the spot.
Iceland were now playing for the three points, but this way they also exposed their defence with Croatia wasting a few counter attacking opportunities before Ivan Perisic scored Croatia’s winner in the 90th minute, which meant that they won the game 2-1 to top Group D with the maximum nine points, while Iceland finished bottom with only a point.
FIFA World Cup Russia 2018 – Group D
Iceland 1-2 (0-0) Croatia
Goals: 0-1 Milan Badelj (53′), 1-1 Glyfi Sigurdsson (76′), 1-2 Ivan Perisic (90′)
Iceland: Halldorsson – B. Saevarsson, Ingason, R. Sigurdsson (70′ Sigurdarson), Magnusson – Gunnarsson, Hallfredsson – J. Gudmundsson, G. Sigurdsson, B. Bjarnason (90′ Traustason) – Finnbogason (85′ A. Gudmundsson)
Subs: Runarsson, Schram, Eyjolfsson, Arnason, Fridjonsson, Gislason, A. Skulason, O. Skulason, Bödvarsson
Croatia: L. Kalinic – Jedvaj, Corluka, Caleta-Car, Pivaric – Modric (65′ Bradaric), Badelj – Pjaca (70′ Lovren), Kovacic (82′ Rakitic), Perisic – Kramaric
Subs: Livakovic, Subasic, Strinic, Vida, Vrsaljko, Mandzukic, Rebic
Referee: Antonio Mateu Lahoz (Spain)
Man of the Match: Milan Badelj (Croatia)
