Cahill Armed to Boost Australia
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TUESDAY, JUNE 26, 2018 18 PREVIEW Musa ready for Messi Reuters | St Petersburg, Russia per Eagles’, though, are bouncing ly to stick with Musa and Kelechi blue-and-white number after a tactical shake-up following Iheanacho against the South Amer- 10 Messi shirts and face ying a humiliating last in their opening defeat propelled them icans. masks, it is last chance a group they were expect- to a 2-0 win over Iceland and will A win against Argentina, who saloon. Led to win, Argentina must not fear the illustrious rivals they have looked shambolic in their first They must beat Nige- beat Nigeria today to have have met five times in six World two games despite boasting some ria and also hope Ice - any chance of progress- Cups. of the biggest names in the game, land do not win against ing and keeping alive “We know we canFIFA do Worldit, our Cupcon- 2018would guarantee a place in the sec- Croatia, as that could send captain Lionel fidence is comingNigeria back,” said v Argentina coach ond round. them home anyway, again Messi’s dream of Gernot Rohr whose teamGroup D,beat June Ar 26- A draw may also be enough depending on goal dif- winning a first gentina 4-2 in a friendlySaint Petersburg last NoStadium- even if Iceland beat already-qual- ference. World Cup. vember, albeit in the absence of ified Croatia, depending on goal To do that, Messi The Messi. difference. and his team mates ‘Su- Rohr dropped the misfiring Odion For Argentina, and the legions will have to im- Ighalo and Alex Iwobi after their of fans who have made the huge prove on abject Ahmed Musa opening loss to48 Croatia, FIFAand rank is like- journey5 across the world decked in displays so far. NGR 0-2 CRO Match 1 ARG 1-1 ISL NGR 2-0 ISL Match 2 ARG 0-3 CRO Nigeria HEAD-TO-HEAD Argentina Nigeria 2 Argentina 5 Nickname | Super Eagles Nickname | Le Albiceleste Gernot Rohr moved to a three- After a dire performance against Croatia, Jorge man defence against Iceland last Sampaoli is set to move to a 4-3-3 setup. Friday and could continue with Franco Armani, Ever Banega, Angel Di Maria and Recent that system here. meetings Draws 1 Gonzalo Higuain could come in for Willy Caballero, Tyronne Ebuehi was a half time 2017 Argentina 2-4 Nigeria Marcos Acuna, Maximiliano Meza and Sergio Aguero. Whenever I play against introduction and may start on the 2014 Nigeria 2-3 Argentina Argentina Predicted Lineup: Argentina, or whenever (Lionel) left at Brian Idowu’s expense. WORLD CUP RECORD Caballero, Salvio, Lionel Messi Messi is playing against me, I Nigeria Predicted Lineup: 6 Wins 42 Otamendi, Rojo, score. Four years ago, in Brazil Uzoho, Balogun, Troost-Ekong, 3 Draws 15 Tagliafico, when Messi was playing against Omeruo, Moses, Idowu, Elebo, 11 Losses 22 Mascherano, Obi, Ndidi, Iheanacho, Musa 1.10 Goals for* 1.67 Banega, Messi, me, I scored two goals. When I 1.40 Goals against* 1.11 Dybala, Aguero transferred to Leicester City and *Per match © GRAPHIC NEWS we played against Barcelona and Messi was in the pitch too, Match Facts I scored another two goals, so I • Nigeria bounced back from a disappointing 2-0 loss to Croatia with a 2-0 win over Iceland and a draw would likely think in the nextFIFA game World anything Cup 2018 be good enough to secure a last-16 spot here. can happen. Possibly, I’m going • Argentina are staring down a group stage elimination and they need a win and results elsewhere to go their way to score anotherDenmark two vgoals France to progress to the next round. Group C, June 26 • It’s a tough one to call, but Nigeria should land the result that sees them progress. Luzhniki Stadium, Moscow NIGERIA’S AHMED MUSA Denmark France Nickname | Danish Dynamite Nickname | Les Blues 12 FIFA rank 7 Mood has a big part to play in We know about the noise DEN 1-0 PER Match 1 FRA 2-1 AUS football, more when you do not around the team. We DEN 1-1 AUS Match 2 FRA 1-0 PER reach the results or the way you havy to live with that. HEAD-TO-HEAD want to play. That’s where the But we worry only about Denmark 6 France 8 frustration appears, where you see things we can control. everything negative. But an opportunity On Tuesday, we will seek has appeared and that gave us an emotional lift qualification to the next round ARGENTINA’S JAVIER MASCHERANO Recent ARGENTINA’S LUCAS BIGLIA meetings Draws 1 Christian Eriksen 2015 Denmark 1-2 France Kylian Mbappe FIFA World Cup 2018 William Kvist is ruled 2015out for DenFrance- 2-0 SamuelDenmark Umtiti is struggling with a thigh mark after being stretchered off in problem and is not expected to feature WORLD CUP RECORD Australia v Peru their 1-0 win over Peru. Andreas against Denmark. Adil Rami or Presnel Group C, June 26 Christensen was fit enough9 to WinsKimpembe will30 deputise as a result. Cahill armed to boostFisht OlympicAustralia Stadium, Sochi start against Australia last3 time DrawsDidier Deschamps12 is still searching for AFP | Kazan, Russia out and should retain his6 spot in Lossesa system to get19 the best out of the likes Denmark’s defence on Tuesday. of Paul Pogba and Antoine Griezmann 1.61 Goals for* 1.79 efender Mark Milligan has backed Tim Australia Peru 1.39 Goals against*simultaneously.1.18 FIFA WorldGriezmann Cup has2018 been subbed off in both DCahill to step up for Australia if the Soc- Nickname | The Socceroos Nickname | The Incas *Per match © GRAPHIC NEWS of France’s group games and generally ceroos legend is given the nod for Tuesday’s Andrew Nabbout sustained a dislo- 36 FIFA rank 11 Renato Tapia is a doubt after Iceland v hasn’tCroatia played well. pivotal World Cup clash against Peru. cated shoulder in the 1-1 draw with AUS 1-2 FRA Match 1 PER 0-1 DEN being concussed against Group D, June 26 “What happens on Tuesday, I’m not sure,” Denmark, which should see Tomi AUS 1-1 DEN Match 2 PER 0-1 FRA Denmark, and that could see Possible line-ups: Schmeichel,Rostov ArenaPossible line-ups: Lloris, Milligan said in Kazan. “But what I do know Juric start. Pedro Aquino keep his spot Dalsgaard, Kjaer, Christensen, Larsen, Sidibe, Varane, Umtiti, Mendy, HEAD-TO-HEAD is that if Timmy’s called upon, he’ll be more Daniel Arzani may replace Robbie First meeting in midfield. Delaney, Schone, Braithwaite, Pogba, Kante, Mbappe, Matuidi, than ready.” Kruse on the left after Jefferson Farfan has been Eriksen, Sisto, Jorgensen Griezmann, Giroud WORLD CUP RECORD Australia’s all-time leading scorer, with 50 a bright cameo 2 Wins 4 ruled out with a head injury goals in 106 appearances, Cahill is hoping showing against 4 Draws 3 sustained against France. to join the select list of players to have the Danes. 9 Losses 10 Lineup Iceland Croatia scored in four consecutive World Cups, Lineup 0.87 Goals for* 1.12 Gallese, Advincula, Ramos, Ryan, Risdon, 1.93 Goals against* 1.94 Rodriguez, Trauco, Aquino, Nickname | Our 22Boys FIFA rank Nickname 20| The Blazers following in the footsteps of players such *Per match © GRAPHIC NEWS as Cristiano Ronaldo and Pele. Sainsbury, Yotun, Carrillo, Cueva, ISL 1-1 ARG Match 1 CRO 2-0 NGR But the 38-year-old has had to watch Milligan, Be- Farfan, Guerrero ISL 0-2 NGR Match 2 CRO 3-0 ARG from the bench as the Socceroos’ last- hich, Mooy, HEAD-TO-HEAD 16 hopes were badly dented by a 2-1 Jedinak, defeat to France and a 1-1 draw with Leckie, Kruse, Iceland 1 Croatia 4 Denmark. Rogic, Nabbout Bert van Marwijk’s men now must beat Peru and hope France beat Denmark to have any hope of sneaking into Match Facts the last 16 -- a feat they last • Australia need a win here to Recent achieved in 2006 when, keep their hopes of progression Alfred Finnbogason Luka Modric meetings Draws 1 under Dutchman alive, but are also banking on Johann Berg Gudmundsson2017 Icelandis out with a 1-0CroatiaCroatia head coach Zlatko Dalic is France beating Denmark in order calf problem, but is head coach Heimir set to ring the changes after they Guus Hiddink, Cahill 2016 Croatia 2-0 Iceland scored twice in a 3-1 to secure second spot. Hallgrímsson’s only injury concern. guaranteed their place in the next • Peru have played well, but Emil Hallfredsson could come in in place round of the World Cup with a 3-0 win opening win over WORLD CUP RECORD have failed to pick up a point at of Jon Dadi Bodvarsson from the side over Argentina. Japan. that lost to Nigeria. 0 WinsThe likes of Vedran9 Corluka, Mateo the World Cup and were knocked Former Soc- out of the tournament after a 1-1 1 DrawsKovacic and Milan2 Badelj could all start ceroo Mark here. draw with France last week. Possible line-ups: 1Haldorsson, Losses 7 Bosnich joined Saevarsson, Arnason, R Sigurdsson, • The Socceroos have put in a 0.50 Goals for*Possible line-ups:1.44 Subasic, growing calls for good account of themselves in Magnusson, Gudmundsson, Corluka, Lovren, Vida, Strinic, Cahill to play in Gunnarsson, Halfredosson,1.50 Goals against* 0.94 Russia and could land a key three *Per match Badelj,© GRAPHIC Kovacic, NEWS Bradaric, Pjaca, what could be points here. Bjarnason, G Sigurdsson, Perisic, Kramaric his final World Finnbogason Cup appearance..