FIFA World Cup 2018: Croatia, Argentine qualify on a day of exciting soccer
It was a day of pulsating soccer. The final two games of group of "Death" virtually had the spectators on the edge of their seats as fate of three of four teams depended solely on the outcome of these matches.
Former champions Argentina not only won by an 86th minute goal by Marcos Rojo but also had the pleasant consolation of seeing group leaders Croatia making a clean sweep of all three games with a splendid 2-1 win over debutants Iceland. The Croatian win was all the more credible as it made nine changes in the squad that played earlier group games.
Skipper Lionel Messi, who missed a penalty against Iceland, today led his team from the front by scoring the first goal. In a superb burst of speed he not only raced down from the middle to blast the Nigerian goal with a powerful kicker that found the extreme right corner of the net.
This was his first goal of the tournament and came in the 14th minute. Incidentally, it was the 100th goal of the 2018 World Cup.
Gloom cast its spell in the 48th minute when while Nigeria was taking a corner kick, Mascherano of Argentina intentionally brought down a Nigerian attacker. His foul was not only penalised with a yellow card but also a penalty, 22nd of the tournament was awarded.
All pleadings by Argentina players for review of the penalty decision were turned down by the referee who got his award endorsed by VAR. Victor Moses, who took the penalty, scored with a kick that could not be rated smashing but was definitely one that foxed the defending goalkeeper.
After equaliser when it was appearing all lost for Argentina, Croatia leading by a 53td minute field goal by Milan Badelj conceded an equaliser to Iceland. Gylfi Sigurdsson scored for Iceland playing its first ever World Cup finals. Had Iceland surprised Croatia, Argentina would have been eliminated.
Luckily, Croatia took the lead in the last minute of the stipulated period through a goal by Ivan Perisic.
And within seconds of Croatia bringing relief to Argentina, the South Americans, too, had their second goal coming through Marcos Rojo who intercepted a high cross and smashed it with a powerful right footer.
All Argentina needed was to hold on to lead in the remaining four minutes and five minutes of injury time to make it to the round of 16.
Nigerians were heart broke for all their brilliant work and superb soccer in last two games failed to get them to the knock out round.Only goals carry teams ahead and Nigerians unfortunately did not have many in this tournament.
