France vs Australia and the 1998 World Cup Winners were looking to improve on their poor record of only winning three groups since that tournament. The French are expected to go far too with one of their strongest squads for a while with the likes of Anthony Martial and Alexandre Lacazette left at home. They started brightly against the Aussies and despite a couple of popped balls during the game the Socceroos kept it tight and at half-time it was 0-0.
The second half certainly opened up and it was the French team’s pace that caught out the Australia defence again and after a VAR review, the referee gave the penalty. Pundits and commentators were 50/50 over the decision but we think it was the correct one. Griezmann converted the spot kick for a moment in history.
Mile Jedinak, who was captaining his side for a second World Cup then equalised from the penalty spot himself, just four minutes after going behind when Samuel Umtiti stupidly handled the ball in his own box. The Aussies couldn’t hold on though but were unlucky to lose the match when Behich lobbed his own goalkeeper whilst trying to stop Paul Pogba running through on goal.
France 2–1 Australia
Griezmann Goal 58′ (pen.)
Behich Goal 81′ (o.g.)
Jedinak Goal 62′ (pen.)
Next fixtures for France and Australia:
Thursday June 21st: Denmark v Australia (Group C) – Samara, 1pm
Thursday June 21st: France v Peru (Group C) – Ekaterinburg, 4pm
Argentina vs Iceland and it’s two times World Cup winners and regular participants against an Iceland team that have qualified for their first ever finals. Strangely though, a lot before kick off were giving Iceland a chance of getting a result in this game, but Argentina certainly started the better and chances started to come even though Iceland were so compact from front to back. They weren’t compact enough though as Aguero controlled a ball into the box, spun, turned and smashed in his first ever World Cup goal.
It didn’t deter Iceland mind due, they got back on with their game plan, in allowing Argentina the ball and then creating some very good chances when they broke forward. And they broke forward straight away and after a bit of a scramble they were level. Lionel Messi then missed a second-half penalty, well it was saved superbly by Hannes Þór Halldórsson. After that it was all Argentina and Messi as he kept trying and creating but they just couldn’t find a way through and although they probably should have had another penalty, the referee didn’t go to VAR to check it and nothing was given. The smallest ever nation then at a World Cup held on for the draw.
Argentina 1–1 Iceland
Agüero Goal 19′
Finnbogason Goal 23′
Thursday June 21st: Argentina v Croatia (Group D) – Nizhny Novgorod, 7pm
Friday June 22nd: Nigeria v Iceland (Group D) – Volgograd, 4pm
Peru vs Denmark met for the first ever time in a match which saw Peru at their first tournament in thirty fours years and both teams come into the match on the back of fifteen games unbeaten. Although there wasn’t many goals in the game it was such an entertaining match from one end to the other with Peru playing the better football and creating the better chances early on. That included winning a penalty after some excellent build up play. The penalty wasn’t initially given but after another VAR review it was awarded, just a shame Christian Cueva missed.
Into the second half and Peru started well again as they looked to make up for Cueva’s miss, unfortunately Peru’s attacking style of play was ultimately their downfall. After they’d attacked yet again, Denmark won it back and eventually it was played into Christian Eriksen path who then slid in Poulsen who converted calmly to make it 1-0. Peru attacked and attacked and just kept going, but they just could not find their way passed the Danish defence and the outstanding Kasper Schmeichel in-goal.
Peru 0–1 Denmark
Poulsen Goal 59′
Next fixtures for Peru and Denmark:
Thursday June 21st: Denmark v Australia (Group C) – Samara, 1pm
Thursday June 21st: France v Peru (Group C) – Ekaterinburg, 4pm
Croatia vs Nigeria and the Africa side started this tournament having won only one of the last twelve World Cup games and although Croatia have done better than that recently, they still haven’t reached the knockout stages since 1998. In that tournament twenty years ago Croatia reached the semi-finals and eventually finished third overall and every team since then has lived in their shadows, but there is certainly some belief in this side. From the off the European side started the better in the first ever meeting of the two teams.
Just passed the half-hour mark the Croatian’s pressure told as Etobo scored an own goal he could nothing about after two headers from a corner eventually hit him and went in. Croatia probably should have been a couple up by half-time but kept missed their chance. The experienced Modric did eventually seal the game though from the twelve yards as he converted a penalty with twenty minutes to go. Great start for Croatia against a poor Nigeria performance.
Croatia 2–0 Nigeria
Etebo Goal 32′ (o.g.)
Modrić Goal 71′ (pen.)
Thursday June 21st: Argentina v Croatia (Group D) – Nizhny Novgorod, 7pm
Friday June 22nd: Nigeria v Iceland (Group D) – Volgograd, 4pm
