Nigeria have beaten Iceland 2-0 in Group D at the Volgograd Arena, lifting Argentina’s hopes of surviving at the World Cup as well as their own. Nigeria lost their opening match 2-0 to Croatia so have three points, while Iceland remain on the one point they earned in a 1-1 draw with Argentina.
The situation remains complicated but if Argentina can beat Nigeria in St Petersburg on Tuesday, then they will reach the last 16 unless Iceland beat Croatia in Rostov, in which case it will come down to goal difference and other tie-breakers. Nigeria will join Croatia in the last 16 if they beat Argentina, and would also do so with a draw unless Iceland beat Croatia, in which case once more it will come down to goal difference and other tie-breakers.
After a goalless first half, Ahmed Musa scored a fine goal on a breakaway from an Iceland set piece, half-volleying home after controlling Victor Moses’s cross in the 49th minute. With a quarter of an hour to go Musa doubled the advantage, controlling a long ball from the back without breaking stride and galloping towards goal, beating Kári Árnason in the process.
Having drawn Hannes Thór Halldórsson from his goal and seen the Icelandic keeper commit himself, Musa shimmied a couple of steps right and then blasted the ball past two covering defenders.
Iceland were then handed a way back into the game from the penalty spot, after the New Zealander Matthew Conger consulted VAR to confirm the substitute Tyronne Ebuehi had brought down Alfred Finnbogason. Unfortunately for Iceland, Gylfi Sigurdsson blasted the spot-kick over the bar.
Source: The Guardian
