Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/998504
maltatoday | WEDNESDAY • 27 JUNE 2018 22 SPORTS WORLD CUP ARGENTINA and Lionel Messi progressed to the last 16 of the World Cup by the skin of their teeth on Tuesday after an 86th minute strike from defender Marcos Rojo gave them a 2-1 win over Ni- geria, eliminating the African side. Croatia advance as winners of Group D with the maxi- mum nine points after beat- ing Iceland 2-1 and Nigeria were just minutes away from joining them before central defender Rojo superbly vol- leyed home a Gabriel Mer- cado cross from the right. Messi had put Argentina ahead in the 14th minute, with a fabulously taken goal but the Africans equalised through a Victor Moses pen- alty in the 51st minute and the twice World Cup winners struggled to respond to that setback with a ragged second half display. In front of a massive follow- ing of passionate and loud Argentine fans, the game be- gan in ideal fashion for Jorge Sampaoli's side, who had managed just a point from their opening two games. A perfectly weighted di- agonal ball over the top by Ever Banega was sublimely brought down on the out- side of his thigh by Messi who then drove past Nigeria's teenage keeper Francis Uzo- ho to open the scoring. The selection of Banega proved to be an inspired one by Sampaoli with the Sevilla midfielder providing the quality service that had been lacking in their opening two games. Banega almost inspired a second goal for the Argen- tines when he put Angel Di Maria clear, the winger being brought down by Leon Balogun and Messi struck the woodwork from the resulting free kick with a curler from the left against the far post. It had been an impres- sive half from Argentina but the game was to take a twist shortly after the in- terval. Defending a corner, Ar- gentine defender Javier Mascherano jockeyed Le- on Balogun inside the area and when the Nigerian fell to the floor, Turkish referee Cuneyt Cakir awarded a pen- alty. After lengthy and impas- sioned protests from the Argentine players, Moses managed to keep his cool and slot past Franco Arma- ni to level the scores. Nigeria wasted several chances to add a second and secure their place in the last 16 before the unlikely source of Manchester United central defender Rojo kept Argentina's tournament alive and left Nigeria in despair. Argentina go on to face France in the next round while Croatia take on Den- mark. Iceland's World Cup dream denied as Croatia win to top Group D ICELAND'S first World Cup adventure came to a valiant end on Tuesday as they were beaten 2-1 by Group D winners Croatia due to a late strike from Ivan Perisic, with Argen- tina qualifying as runners- up instead. Iceland missed a flurry of early chances but went behind in the second half to a lethal strike from Croatia midfielder Milan Badelj, although Gylfi Sig- urdsson levelled from the penalty spot in the 76th minute to set up an en- thralling finish. Argentina's 2-1 win over Nigeria meant Iceland would have qualified with a victory but instead their hearts sank when Perisic smashed into the far cor- ner in the 90th minute. Croatia will meet Den- mark in the last 16 while Argentina play France. Iceland, the smallest ever nation to compete at a World Cup, are heading home with one point from their tournament debut but will still leave Russia with their heads held high. Iceland Croatia 1 2 Gylfi Sigurdsson (Pen) 76' Milan Badelj 53', Ivan Perisic 90' Marcos Rojo saves Argentina's World Cup, knocks Nigeria out Nigeria Argentina 1 2 Victor Moses (Pen) 51' Lionel Messi 14', Marcos Rojo 86'