No Joy for Messi As Gutsy Iceland Hold Argentina
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SPORT Sunday 17 June 2018 PAGEE | 2121 PAGEPAGE | 24 Germany startrt titletitle TechnologyTechn helps defence againstgainst FranceFranc beat gritty MeMexicoxico AustraliaAustr 2-1 YESTERDAY'S RESULTS GROUP C FRANCE 2-1 AUSTRALIA GROUP D ARGENTINA 1-1 ICELAND GROUP C PERU 0-1 DENMARK GROUP D CROATIA 2-0 NIGERIA TODAY'S FIXTURES GROUP E Samara Arena COSTA RICA vs SERBIA 3.00pm GROUP F Luzhniki Stadium GERMANY vs MEXICO 6.00pm GROUP E Volgograd Arena BRAZIL vs SWITZERLAND Iceland’s goalkeeper 9.00pm Hannes Halldorsson saves a penalty taken by Argentina’s Lionel Messi during their World Cup Group D match played Own goal and at the Spartak Stadium in Moscow, Russia penalty ensure yesterday. victorious start for Croatia No joy for Messi as gutsy AGENCIES KALININGRAD: An own goal and a penalty gave Croatia a comfortable start to their World Cup campaign Iceland hold Argentina as they beat a limp Nigeria 2-0 in their Group D clash at the Kalin- ingrad Stadium yesterday. REUTERS first of several uncomfortable were on messi to respond but he celebrations with their fans and In Russia’s sleepy European moments for a decidedly shaky was generally kept at arm’s now will have real belief that exclave of Kaliningrad, the much- MOSCOW: Tiny Iceland made Argentine defence. length by the rugged but con- they can get out of Group D that hyped youngsters of Nigeria a stunning impact in their first- The South Americans trolled Iceland defenders. also contains Croatia and struggled to ignite against Croatia’s ever World Cup on Saturday looked more assured in attack, The great man was given the Nigeria. midfield technicians. when they held 2014 runners- ARGENTINA ICELAND though, and went ahead when ultimate opportunity after “This match was a kind of a A diving header from Mario Man- up Argentina to a pulsating 1-1 1 1 Aguero turned tightly in the box Hordur Bjorgvin Magnusson got milestone for this team,” said dzukic was deflected into his own draw but Lionel messi’s tour- and smashed in an unstoppable entangled with Aguero in the Hallgrimsson, who vowed pre- net by Nigeria midfielder Ogh- nament began wretchedly as he AGUERO - 19' 23' - FINNBOGASON shot. box, only for Halldorsson to fly tournament that his team would enekaro Etebo after 32 minutes to saw his penalty saved by Hannes Iceland stunned the stadium to his right and palm his not sit back. hand Croatia the half-time lead, Halldorsson. but glorious major tournament soon afterwards though when mediocre strike clear. “We are bluntly honest in doubled by Luka Modric's successful Sergio Aguero gave the two- history. keeper Willy Caballero palmed Iceland then defended our ability. With a team like penalty kick in the 71st minute. time world champions the lead “People say we celebrate Gylfi Sigurdsson’s low shot superbly, almost fanatically, with Argentina it is just a fact they It was awarded after Nigeria after 19 minutes before Iceland, when we won a point -- wait straight into the path of Halldorson making another fan- have players with superior skills. defender William Troost-Ekong had showing the same commitment and see how we celebrate when Finnbogason, who swept the tastic full-length save from sub- “I think for everyone it is wrestled Mandzukic to the ground and self-belief that saw them we’ve won a game,” said Iceland ball into the unguarded net. stitute Cristian Pavon in the more enjoyable to play this way right in front of the referee, stun the soccer world with their coach Heimir Hallgrimsson. After Cristiano Ronaldo’s dying moments. and achieve something than to wrapping both arms around the run to the Euro 2016 quarter- Man of the match Hall- hat-trick in Portugal’s 3-3 draw Iceland’s players rushed to play in a different way and not striker as they jostled for space in finals, hit back four minutes later dorsson said he had done his with Spain on Friday, all eyes the stands to share their achieve anything.” the Nigeria box. through Alfred Finnbogason. homework on messi, who has It was the fifth penalty awarded Argentina, playing in all- now missed four of his last seven in the four World Cup matches black and roared on by the vast penalties for club and country. played yesterday. majority of the crowd in a “I looked at a lot of penalties With rivals Argentina and rocking Spartak Stadium, even- by messi and I also looked at Iceland only managing a 1-1 draw tually took command, delivering how I had been behaving in pre- earlier Saturday in Saransk, both wave after wave of attacks in the vious penalties, so I tried to get sides had a chance to take control second half. into their mindset, how they of Group D. Yet they actually created few would be thinking about me,” he clear chances either side of the said. poorly-struck 64th-minute Frustrated Argentina coach penalty by messi, who drew a Jorge Sampaoli tried to remain blank despite a remarkable 11 upbeat. “We need to be strong shots during the match. as a group, believe in ourselves Iceland, by far the smallest and know we have all the tools country by population to to beat anybody,” he said. appear at a World Cup and Iceland signalled their intent CROATIA NIGERIA inspired by their “thunder- from the kick off, sending seven 2 0 clapping” fans, ran and battled men charging into the box to Croatia score their opening goal against Nigeria through an own goal during their 2018 World tirelessly as they wrote another challenge as the ball was ETEBO - 32' OG Cup Group D match played at the Kaliningrad Stadium in Kaliningrad, Russia yesterday. unlikely chapter in their short pumped long, leading to just the MODRIĆ - 72' PEN 18 SPORT SUNDAY 17 JUNE 2018 Peru pay the penalty as Poulsen nets match winner for Denmark AFP the Danes started to push forward. Midfielder Thomas Delaney had SARANSK, RUSSIA: Yussuf Poulsen their first chance when his long-range ruined Peru’s first appearance at a effort went over on 27 minutes. World Cup finals for 36 years yesterday Denmark had to bring on Ajax’s DENMARK PERU with the winning goal for Denmark to Lasse Schone with 36 minutes gone seal a 1-0 victory in Saransk. when central midfielder William Kvist Poulsen made amends for con- was stretchered off. 1 0 ceding a first-half penalty that was A yellow card was shown to Peru POULSEN - 59' awarded after the referee consulted midfielder Renato Tapia for sending the VAR system, but which Peru mid- Pione Sisto tumbling just outside the fielder Christian Cueva blasted over area, but Christian Eriksen drilled the the crossbar. free-kick off the wall. With France having beaten Aus- When Poulsen clipped Cueva’s tralia 2-1 in Kazan earlier in Group C, boot on 45 minutes, referee Bakary RB Leipzig’s Poulsen showed great fin- Gassama checked with the Video ishing to hit the winner on 59 minutes Assistant Referee and pointed to the to the dismay of the overwhelmingly spot for the second penalty awarded Peruvian crowd in the 40,502-capacity through the system of the day after stadium. France had also benefited against The win extends Denmark’s Australia. unbeaten run to 16 games without Cueva took the spot-kick himself defeat and end Peru’s 15-match but his effort ballooned over the bar. unbeaten streak. Just moments after Peru wasted Peru veteran Paolo Guerrero, who a clear chance, when Cueva squared only made it to the tournamenbt after to Andre Carrillo who failed to connect, late reprieve for a drug ban, came on Denmark scored. for the final 30 minutes but his efforts The ball was quickly moved at the Mordovia Arena came to no avail. forward and when Poulsen went one- Authorities in Lima estimate on-one with Gallese, the darting Dane around 25,000 fans flew to Russia to hit the net on 59 minutes. see their team’s return to the World Guerrero was in the thick of Peru’s Cup and Saransk was a sea of Peru bid to get level and his header fell shirts. into Schmeichel’s arms five minutes Their chants were near-deafening later. on occasion, as were the whistles each Tottenham midfielder Christian time Denmark had the ball or dared to Eriksen, who netted 11 goals in quali- attack. fying for Denmark, had to busy himself As a result, Peru dominated the in defence to snuff out Guerrero- opening 25 minutes. inspired attacks. Edison Flores, Andre Carrillo and With just over ten minutes left, Yoshimar Yotun all kept Denmark Guerrero again went agonisingly close Denmark’s forward Yussuf Poulsen celebrates after scoring keeper Kasper Schmeichel busy. when he pushed his shot past the post against Peru during the Russia 2018 World Cup Group C match After weathering the early storm, as Denmark held on. at the Mordovia Arena in Saransk, yesterday. Iceland’s ‘zombie film’ Ronaldo 1, Messi 0 ‘keeper outwits Messi in World Cup duel AFP four in their opening games REUTERS failed to find the net with 11 shots. “We wanted to use spaces behind in Russia, highlighting the His penalty added to a run that them -- but it’s difficult when you MOSCOW: Cristiano efficiency of the Portugal MOSCOW: Hannes Halldorsson started with a miss for Barcelona don’t have the ball.” Croatia and Ronaldo has emphatically forward. Messi’s fans say used to make zombie films for a in La Liga last August. Nigeria will have to watch out, won the first round of his Ronaldo, at 33, is slowing living but it was watching videos It was a contrast to long-time though.