[ad_1]
Croatian Ivan Perisic scores the winning goal in the 90th minute. (Photo by Clive Brunskill / Getty Images)
ROSTOV-ON-DON, Russia – Iceland – this darling of demographics, this cradle of skill, the aurora borealis of overexploitation – left the World Cup on Tuesday night. He left after three games (one draw, two losses), two goals, a lot of cheerfulness, zero percentage of effort unused and two minutes when it seemed that something really berserk could happen.
These two minutes began about 88 minutes to Rostov Arena, when scrap Iceland with Croatia in the 1-1 and 21st century allowed many of the 43,472 witnesses plus the Icelandic bench to know that Argentina had preceded Nigeria by 2-1. A single goal from Iceland of a team that had dined in the box of Croatia all the second half – mainly on out-of-the-box events. Work only – would push Iceland and its 340,000 citizens to second place behind Croatia in Group D, banning Argentina and Nigeria.
Scarcely have the witnesses had time to inspire and treat this supernatural prospect when Croatian Milan Badelj, 29-year-old midfielder who plays for Fiorentina in Italy, has already hit a goal in the net at 53 minutes from the end. He detached himself from a small grove and slipped a magnificent ball towards Ivan Perisic on the left, leaving Iceland's defense exposed to lack of purpose. So Badelj has a nice view of Perisic blowing the ball past goalkeeper Hannes Halldorsson until he gets to the right side of the net.
"We left everything behind," Icelandic manager Heimir Hallgrimsson said of the 2-1 defeat. "I do not think there was a percentage left on the battery." He had started the night sitting with his family in the bleachers during the pre-competition because he had not felt like seeing them a lot lately. He ended by entering the press conference and shaking hands with every Icelandic reporter. He had just said, "Training the Icelandic national team is the best job you can get."
Farewell, the supreme charm.
Iceland had lost to Croatia, but everyone too, while the Group D winners had a maximum of nine points, which "no one expected", as was the case with said manager Zlatko Dalic. With just 4.2 million people in the round of 16 against Denmark, the Germans got Hallgrimsson's approval as a team that could win the jackpot on July 15th.
"I trusted this team from day one," Dalic said.
Confidence and pride also extended at the beginning, of course. As the stands were exhausted, groups of Icelandic supporters in blue made a final slap of Viking. The exhausted players applauded the fans, some of whom should have familiar faces given the famous poverty of the citizens. On many occasions, they had done the necessary operation to get to Croatia, but they had narrowly missed, scoring only on the penalty of Gylfi Sigurdsson in the 76th minute after a ball call against Dejan Lovren , the only goal Croatia has allowed in Russia.
"Nice," summed Sigurdsson the last two weeks. "It's been two weeks that I think we'll never forget, and very close to the last 16. So, yes, disappointing, but I think it was a fantastic trip. I think we gave everything tonight, so I think we think we could not have done more, and I think we feel a little better about ourselves than if we had not everything given. "
They had the work of the Sigurdsson and Alfred Finnbogason team at 40 minutes, resulting in the narrowness of Finnbogason who just bypassed; Aron Gunnarsson's fine attack in the first period added time, forcing goaltender Lovre Kalinic to rush to push him away. In the early 1950s, Sverrir Ingason scored two consecutive heads. One of them slammed on the roof by Kalinic and the other slammed the bar. The magnificent Finnbogason cross that skidded on the ground up Birkir Bjarnason on the left, before Bjarnason could stand it.
They also had themselves, which is really something.
The reputed manager and dentist of the island, Hallgrimsson, has expressed his pride time and again in a team that has played five good halfs out of six – a 1-1 draw against Argentina (two good halftime ) and a 2-0 loss to Nigeria (one).
"We know that all these nations have players who are more quality than us and I thought that the team as a whole was what it was supposed to be," he said. "I think we did for several years, maybe six, we found our identity for the Icelandic national team – in football, style, character, how we should behave, how we should play And everyone is on board, all players accept the way we play, and all players accept the way we work together on and off the pitch. "
He noted a world in which everyone studies everything and everyone copies everyone, and he said, "So we all tend to do the same things. But sometimes you have to be different, do different things, and that 's maybe what we did better than others. . . If we try to play like Spain, we would always be a bad reply. So we play the way we can play. "
It is with order and caution and with what Dalic from Croatia has called "something that is very important in football and that is the character, the discipline, the struggle." They knew what it was. they wanted to fulfill. "
Now, they'll know more, Sigurdsson claiming that "the hardest thing" had reached the World Cup after the famous quarter-finals of Euro 2016. "But I think that after this one I think it will be a little easier. We know how to handle big tournaments now. We know what to do. . . We are probably heading towards your best years, so we hope that we still have at least one major tournament. "
***
Updates in play
Full time: Croatia 2, Iceland 1
Iceland got help from Argentina in the other Group D match on Tuesday, but the small island nation was eliminated from its first World Cup after losing 2-1. against Croatia on the goal of Ivan Perisic in the 90th minute.
Goal!
That could do it. Ivan Perisic scored on a left-foot shot in the 90th minute to put Croatia ahead 2-1.
Iceland gets help, but they still need a goal
At about five minutes from Rostov-on-Don, Iceland got help in the other Group D match on Tuesday, while Argentina led 2-1 against Nigeria. If this result is maintained and Iceland can score again to beat Croatia, the Icelanders and Croatia will qualify for the knockout phase.
You get a yellow card, and you get a yellow card …
Croatian Tin Jedvaj and Icelandic Birkir Saevarsson received yellow cards in the 83rd and 84th minutes, respectively, for hardboard.
Goal!
Just moments after Croatia fired a low shot, Iceland was rewarded with a penalty shot for a hand in the penalty area of Dejan Lovren. Gylfi Sigurdsson put the following penalty in the back of the net for the equalizer in the 76th minute. Iceland still needs another goal to have a chance to move forward.
A missed opportunity for Iceland
Alfred Finnbogason found Birkir Bjarnason at the last post with a center in the 73rd minute, but Bjarnason could not get enough of a bouncing ball to put a shot on goal.
Substitutions for both parties
Dejan Lovren replaced injured Marko Pjaca in the 69th minute for Croatia. Icelandic Björn Sigurdarson replaced Ragnar Sigurdsson two minutes later.
Substitution in Croatia
Filip Bradaric replaced Luka Modric in the 65th minute.
Another yellow card in Iceland
Alfred Finnbogason received a yellow card in the 64th minute for a delay on Croatian goalkeeper Lovre Kalinic, who left his line to cover a pass sent to the inside of the box.
Yellow card in Iceland
Emil Hallfredsson received the first yellow card of the Icelandic tournament for a difficult tackle after a gear change in the 59th minute. The blame came a few minutes after Iceland passed a few inches of equalization on a pair of headers inside the surface.
Goal!
In the 53rd minute, Milan Badelj shot a ball on the pitch and overtook Icelandic goalkeeper Hannes Halldórsson to give Croatia a 1-0 lead.
Half time: 0-0
Iceland has managed seven shots in the first 45 minutes and over, but is still looking for its first goal. If this score holds and Argentina retain its 1-0 halftime advantage against Nigeria, Croatia and Argentina would advance to the Group D round of 16.
A nice backup of Kalinic
In stoppage time before half-time, Croatian goalkeeper Lovre Kalinic kept his white play by jumping to mark Aron Gunnarsson's shot out of danger.
Just wide
In the 40th minute, Icelandic Gylfi Sigurdsson set up Alfred Finnbogason for a good look inside the surface but Finnbogason sent his touch right to the right.
Easy backup for Kalinic
At about 10 minutes from the end of the first period, Iceland was responsible for four of six shots, including one on a Gylfi Sigurdsson free kick that Croatian goalkeeper Lovre Kalinic cashed.
Two chances for Iceland
Hördur Magnússon made two offers for the first goal of the match with seeded players in the 27th and 28th minute, but both attempts missed the net. The first set of Iceland was preceded by Magnusson dropping Vedran Corluka straight into the face on a center-left attempt.
Slow start to this one
Eighteen minutes later, Croatia dominated possession, but no team recorded a shot.
Yellow card in Pjaca of Croatia
In the 13th minute, Icelandic Birkir Bjarnason was injured by an inadvertent nudge by Marko Pjaca, who received a yellow card on the play.
Advertised start stops
With its place in the knockout stages already secured, Croatia made nine changes to its starting lineup, but captain Luka Modric got the nod.
Reflect on thoughts
Croatia qualifies for the round of 16 after beating Nigeria and Argentina by a combined score of 5-0. Iceland needs a win over Croatia and help in the other Group D match of Tuesday if its first World Cup participation continues beyond the group stage. The easiest way for Icelanders to advance is to defeat Croatia and hope that Argentina will beat Nigeria by a margin that does not alter the current standings for the goal differential. Iceland can also progress with a win and an Argentina-Nigeria draw, but this scenario is a bit more complicated.
These teams know each other well, have met six times on the international scene, including four times in the last four years. "We have often said that we are like a married couple – we try to divorce, but we always find ourselves," said Icelandic manager Heimir Hallgrimsson. Croatia is 4-1-1 against Iceland.
Want smart analysis, opinions, viewing guides and more from the World Cup? Sign up for our newsletter of one month. Every match day until July 15th.
When: Tuesday, 14:00 East.
How to watch on TV: FS1.
How to broadcast online: Fox Sports and Fox Soccer Match Pass apps and FoxSportsGo.com.
How to look in Spanish: Universo.
How to look in Canada: TSN and CTV networks from Bell Media, the TSN GO app and TSN.ca/live.
Team Profiles
Iceland (0-1-1, 1 point)
- Previous results: Argentina tied, 1-1. Lost in Nigeria, 2-0.
- What is at stake: this is the win or return home for Iceland, which would also be eliminated if Nigeria beat Argentina. The Icelanders could progress if Nigeria and Argentina shoot, but they would need to defeat Croatia by at least three goals, or to defeat Croatia by two goals and overtake Nigeria from within. minus two goals.
- Notable: Iceland hopes to become the first team to advance to the knockout stage in their World Cup debut since Slovakia in 2010.
- FIFA World Rankings: 22. ELO World Rankings: 39.
Croatia (2-0-0, 6 points)
- Previous results: Argentina defeated, 3-0. Nigeria defeated, 2-0.
- What is at stake: Croatia can clinch first place in Group D with a win or a draw.
- Notable: Croatia is looking to become the fourth team in history of the World Cup to win the three matches of the group stage without allowing a goal. Argentina was the last team to accomplish the feat, in 1998.
- FIFA World Rankings: 20. ELO World Rankings: 8.
Players to watch
Croatia Luka Modric scored a brilliant goal against Argentina and scored a penalty against Nigeria. After missing a penalty in Iceland's 2-0 defeat against Nigeria, Gylfi Sigurdsson will seek to break the log column in Russia.
Learn more about The Post World Cup:
Full calendar, rankings and results
How foreign born players put the "world" in World Cup
Do not blame Lionel Messi for the struggles of Argentina. Blame the coach.
Germany, pushed to an unknown edge, keeps the hopes of the World Cup alive with a staggering goal
Belgium swaps Tunisia and sends a message to the World Cup
El Tri is getting closer with a 2-1 win
[ad_2]
Source link
