Iceland vs Croatia match preview #WorldCup

TEAM NEWS

Iceland centre-back Ragnar Sigurdsson is a doubt for the game after being forced off against Nigeria with a head injury.

Winger Johann Gudmundsson missed that defeat with a muscle problem, and will also be assessed.

Croatia boss Zlatko Dalic may opt to make numerous changes, with his already assured of their place in the last 16.

Forward Andrej Kramaric dropped out of the starting line-up against Argentina and could earn a recall.

Ivan Rakitic, Ante Rabic, Sime Vrsaljko, Mario Mandzukic, Marcelo Brozovic and Vedran Corluka are all one booking away from a ban, and are therefore unlikely to play.

OVERVIEW

These sides met twice in qualifying for this World Cup and in a two-leggedplay-off for the 2014 tournament.

Iceland’s head coach Heimir Hallgrimsson says of the rivalry: “We’ve played Croatia four times in four years, we’ve often said we’re like a married couple – we’re trying to get divorced, but we always meet up again.”

Iceland beat the Croats 1-0 when the sides met in Reykjavik 12 months ago, but the permutations this time mean a repeat of that scoreline may not be enough to send them through.

Should Nigeria win, Iceland will be eliminated regardless of their result, while a Nigerian draw would mean Iceland have to score at least twice.

Still, if there is any side capable of defying the odds it is Iceland, who, with a population of just a third of a million, are the smallest side ever to play at a World Cup.

VIEW FROM BOTH CAMPS

Iceland head coach Heimir Hallgrimsson: “We were ahead of them in our (qualifying) group and we’ve already beaten them once in Iceland, so we at least have that confidence with us when we play them.”

Croatia head coach Zlatko Dalic: “I don’t care what other teams are saying. We mind our own business.

“It is not nice to say we have a reserve team. This is the Croatian national squad, all my players are going to play the same way they played against Nigeria and Argentina.”