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2018 FIFA World Cup Group D

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2018 postage stamp from Russia depicting Group D of the 2018 FIFA World Cup group stage.

Group D of the 2018 FIFA World Cup took place from 16 to 26 June 2018.[1] The group consisted of Argentina, Iceland, Croatia, and Nigeria. The top two teams, Croatia and Argentina, advanced to the round of 16.[2]

Teams

[edit]
Draw position Team Pot Confederation Method of
qualification
Date of
qualification
Finals
appearance
Last
appearance
Previous best
performance
FIFA Rankings
October 2017[nb 1] June 2018
D1  Argentina 1 CONMEBOL CONMEBOL Round Robin third place 10 October 2017 17th 2014 (runners-up) Winners (1978, 1986) 4 5
D2  Iceland 3 UEFA UEFA Group I winners 9 October 2017 1st 21 22
D3  Croatia 2 UEFA UEFA second round winners 12 November 2017 5th 2014 (group stage) Third place (1998) 18 20
D4  Nigeria 4 CAF CAF third round Group B winners 7 October 2017 6th 2014 (round of 16) Round of 16 (1994, 1998, 2014) 41 48
Notes
  1. ^ The rankings of October 2017 were used for seeding for the final draw.

Standings

[edit]

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1  Croatia 3 3 0 0 7 1 +6 9 Advance to knockout stage
2  Argentina 3 1 1 1 3 5 −2 4
3  Nigeria 3 1 0 2 3 4 −1 3
4  Iceland 3 0 1 2 2 5 −3 1
Source: FIFA
Rules for classification: Group stage tiebreakers

In the round of 16:

Matches

[edit]

All times listed are local time.[1]

Argentina vs Iceland

[edit]
Lionel Messi missed a penalty kick

The two teams had never met before.[3]

Despite stamping their authority on the game's opening stages, Argentina struggled to find space against the Icelandic defence. Argentina then scored in the 19th minute, Sergio Agüero scoring with a powerful left foot shot to the top left corner of the net giving them a 1–0 lead. Alfreð Finnbogason made history by scoring his country's first World Cup goal just four minutes later when he slotted to the net from six yards out after the ball broke to him from six yards out.[4] Argentina then had the chance to go ahead again when Hörður Björgvin Magnússon pushed Maximiliano Meza inside the box after 64 minutes. Hannes Þór Halldórsson dove to his right to deny Lionel Messi a goal.[5] Although Argentina continued to press for a goal, but they were repeatedly denied by the Nordics' defense.[4]

Argentina failed to win their opening match at a World Cup tournament for the first time since losing to Cameroon in 1990, and it was the first time that they drew their opener in the competition. Argentina have missed their last two penalties taken at a World Cup finals (excluding shootouts), with Ariel Ortega failing to convert against Sweden in 2002 before Messi's effort against Iceland in 2018. The Iceland forward's goal after 23 minutes was the earliest scored for a nation playing in their first World Cup match since Rashidi Yekini netted after 21 minutes for Nigeria against Bulgaria on 21 June 1994.[6]

Argentina 1–1 Iceland
  • Agüero 19'
Report
Attendance: 44,190[7]
Argentina[8]
Iceland[8]
GK 23 Willy Caballero
RB 18 Eduardo Salvio
CB 17 Nicolás Otamendi
CB 16 Marcos Rojo
LB 3 Nicolás Tagliafico
CM 14 Javier Mascherano
CM 5 Lucas Biglia downward-facing red arrow 54'
RW 13 Maximiliano Meza downward-facing red arrow 84'
AM 10 Lionel Messi (c)
LW 11 Ángel Di María downward-facing red arrow 75'
CF 19 Sergio Agüero
Substitutions:
MF 7 Éver Banega upward-facing green arrow 54'
MF 22 Cristian Pavón upward-facing green arrow 75'
FW 9 Gonzalo Higuaín upward-facing green arrow 84'
Manager:
Jorge Sampaoli
GK 1 Hannes Þór Halldórsson
RB 2 Birkir Már Sævarsson
CB 14 Kári Árnason
CB 6 Ragnar Sigurðsson
LB 18 Hörður Björgvin Magnússon
DM 10 Gylfi Sigurðsson
CM 17 Aron Gunnarsson (c) downward-facing red arrow 76'
CM 20 Emil Hallfreðsson
RW 7 Jóhann Berg Guðmundsson downward-facing red arrow 63'
LW 8 Birkir Bjarnason
CF 11 Alfreð Finnbogason downward-facing red arrow 89'
Substitutions:
MF 19 Rúrik Gíslason upward-facing green arrow 63'
DF 23 Ari Freyr Skúlason upward-facing green arrow 76'
FW 9 Björn Bergmann Sigurðarson upward-facing green arrow 89'
Manager:
Heimir Hallgrímsson

Man of the Match:
Hannes Þór Halldórsson (Iceland)[7]

Assistant referees:[8]
Paweł Sokolnicki (Poland)
Tomasz Listkiewicz (Poland)
Fourth official:
Wilmar Roldán (Colombia)
Reserve assistant referee:
Alexander Guzmán (Colombia)
Video assistant referee:
Mark Geiger (United States)
Assistant video assistant referees:
Paweł Gil (Poland)
Joe Fletcher (Canada)
Gery Vargas (Bolivia)

Croatia vs Nigeria

[edit]

The two teams had never met before.[3]

Ivan Perišić went closest to hitting the target with an effort from 20 metres after a quarter of an hour, but in the end it was Nigeria's Oghenekaro Etebo who brought joy to the huge Croatian contingent in Kaliningrad, beating his own goalkeeper with the ball going into the left corner of the net following a Luka Modrić corner from the right which had been deflected off Perišić and Mario Mandžukić.[9] Alex Iwobi, after wriggling into space on the left side of the box, he hit a shot directly into a Croatia defender. Ante Rebić fired over from Perišić's left-wing centre, with Odion Ighalo's header recording the match's first shot on target in the 59th minute. William Troost-Ekong was penalised for holding Mandžukić in the penalty area, and Modrić sent Francis Uzoho the wrong way from 12 yards for his first World Cup goal, shooting low to the left corner.[10]

Croatia have won their opening game of a World Cup for the first time since their debut in the competition in 1998 (3–1 vs Jamaica). Nigeria became the first team in World Cup history to concede two consecutive own goals in the competition, with their last goal shipped in 2014, against France in the last 16, also coming in this manner.[9][10][11]

Croatia 2–0 Nigeria
Report
Croatia[13]
Nigeria[13]
GK 23 Danijel Subašić
RB 2 Šime Vrsaljko
CB 21 Domagoj Vida
CB 6 Dejan Lovren
LB 3 Ivan Strinić
CM 7 Ivan Rakitić Yellow card 30'
CM 10 Luka Modrić (c)
RW 18 Ante Rebić downward-facing red arrow 78'
AM 9 Andrej Kramarić downward-facing red arrow 60'
LW 4 Ivan Perišić
CF 17 Mario Mandžukić downward-facing red arrow 86'
Substitutions:
MF 11 Marcelo Brozović Yellow card 89' upward-facing green arrow 60'
MF 8 Mateo Kovačić upward-facing green arrow 78'
FW 20 Marko Pjaca upward-facing green arrow 86'
Manager:
Zlatko Dalić
GK 23 Francis Uzoho
RB 12 Shehu Abdullahi
CB 6 Leon Balogun
CB 5 William Troost-Ekong Yellow card 70'
LB 2 Brian Idowu
CM 4 Wilfred Ndidi
CM 8 Oghenekaro Etebo
RW 11 Victor Moses
AM 10 John Obi Mikel (c) downward-facing red arrow 88'
LW 18 Alex Iwobi downward-facing red arrow 62'
CF 9 Odion Ighalo downward-facing red arrow 72'
Substitutions:
FW 7 Ahmed Musa upward-facing green arrow 62'
FW 14 Kelechi Iheanacho upward-facing green arrow 72'
FW 13 Simeon Nwankwo upward-facing green arrow 88'
Manager:
Germany Gernot Rohr

Man of the Match:
Luka Modrić (Croatia)[12]

Assistant referees:[13]
Emerson de Carvalho (Brazil)
Marcelo Van Gasse (Brazil)
Fourth official:
Antonio Mateu Lahoz (Spain)
Reserve assistant referee:
Pau Cebrián Devís (Spain)
Video assistant referee:
Daniele Orsato (Italy)
Assistant video assistant referees:
Wilton Sampaio (Brazil)
Carlos Astroza (Chile)
Artur Soares Dias (Portugal)

Argentina vs Croatia

[edit]
Ivan Perišić followed by Gabriel Mercado

The two teams had met in four matches, including one game at the 1998 FIFA World Cup, an Argentina 1–0 victory.[14]

Ivan Perišić surged into space down the left and shot towards the bottom-right corner, which was tipped around the post by Willy Caballero. A Dejan Lovren block prevented Maximiliano Meza's low strike finding the net and then Marcos Acuña's cross clipped the top of Danijel Subašić's crossbar. Enzo Pérez struck wide from 15 yards. Three minutes later, Mario Mandžukić flashed a header wide of Caballero's right-hand post from six yards. Eight minutes into the second half, Ante Rebić shot a right foot volley past Caballero after the goalkeeper's mishit an attempted chip over his head. Subašić kept out Meza's close-range effort from substitute Gonzalo Higuaín's cutback. With ten minutes remaining Luka Modrić curled in from 20 yards with his right foot to the right corner of the net to score Croatia's second. Ivan Rakitić was fouled by Javier MascheranoNicolás Otamendi receiving a booking for appearing to kick the ball towards Rakitić's head as tempers flared – and crashed the resulting free-kick against the crossbar. Rakitić in the 91st minute, though, slotted home from the centre of the box after his initial shot deflected off Caballero and found Mateo Kovačić who passed it back to Rakitić from the left.[15] With their second win in a row, Croatia advanced to the round of 16 for the first time since 1998, having been eliminated in 2002, 2006 and 2014 editions.

This was Croatia's first victory in five attempts against a South American team at the World Cup, having lost the previous four.[16] This was Argentina's heaviest defeat in the first-round group stage of a World Cup since losing 6–1 to Czechoslovakia in 1958. Argentina failed to win either of their opening two group stage matches for the first time since 1974.[17]

Argentina 0–3 Croatia
Report
Argentina[19]
Croatia[19]
GK 23 Willy Caballero
CB 2 Gabriel Mercado Yellow card 51'
CB 17 Nicolás Otamendi Yellow card 85'
CB 3 Nicolás Tagliafico
RM 18 Eduardo Salvio downward-facing red arrow 56'
CM 14 Javier Mascherano
CM 15 Enzo Pérez downward-facing red arrow 68'
LM 8 Marcos Acuña Yellow card 87'
RF 10 Lionel Messi (c)
CF 19 Sergio Agüero downward-facing red arrow 54'
LF 13 Maximiliano Meza
Substitutions:
FW 9 Gonzalo Higuaín upward-facing green arrow 54'
MF 22 Cristian Pavón upward-facing green arrow 56'
FW 21 Paulo Dybala upward-facing green arrow 68'
Manager:
Jorge Sampaoli
GK 23 Danijel Subašić
RB 2 Šime Vrsaljko Yellow card 67'
CB 6 Dejan Lovren
CB 21 Domagoj Vida
LB 3 Ivan Strinić
CM 7 Ivan Rakitić
CM 11 Marcelo Brozović
RW 18 Ante Rebić Yellow card 39' downward-facing red arrow 57'
AM 10 Luka Modrić (c)
LW 4 Ivan Perišić downward-facing red arrow 82'
CF 17 Mario Mandžukić Yellow card 58' downward-facing red arrow 90+3'
Substitutions:
FW 9 Andrej Kramarić upward-facing green arrow 57'
MF 8 Mateo Kovačić upward-facing green arrow 82'
DF 5 Vedran Ćorluka Yellow card 90+4' upward-facing green arrow 90+3'
Manager:
Zlatko Dalić

Man of the Match:
Luka Modrić (Croatia)[18]

Assistant referees:[19]
Abdukhamidullo Rasulov (Uzbekistan)
Jakhongir Saidov (Uzbekistan)
Fourth official:
Norbert Hauata (Tahiti)
Reserve assistant referee:
Bertrand Brial (New Caledonia)
Video assistant referee:
Felix Zwayer (Germany)
Assistant video assistant referees:
Bastian Dankert (Germany)
Corey Rockwell (United States)
Danny Makkelie (Netherlands)

Nigeria vs Iceland

[edit]
Pre-match

The two teams had met only once, in a friendly game in 1981, won by Iceland 3–0.[14]

Gylfi Sigurðsson shot a sixth-minute chance straight at Francis Uzoho. In the last minute of the first half, Alfreð Finnbogason was unable to get a decisive touch on Sigurðsson's free-kick delivered from the right wing. In the 49th minute, Victor Moses' cross was collected by Ahmed Musa, who first controlled it in the air with his right foot before scoring on the half-volley powerfully to the net. Hannes Þór Halldórsson tipped over a deflected drive from Wilfred Ndidi. In the 75th minute, fed by Kenneth Omeruo, Musa burst clear in the left channel, cut inside and rounded Halldórsson before scoring with his right foot. A late VAR review spotted that substitute Tyronne Ebuehi had tripped Finnbogason, with Sigurðsson's spot-kick effort clearing the crossbar.[20]

Iceland are the third World Cup debutants from Europe to have faced Nigeria at the tournament, and on every occasion Nigeria have emerged victorious, following victories against Greece (2–0) in 1994 and Bosnia and Herzegovina (1–0) in 2014.[21] Uzoho is the second youngest goalkeeper to keep a clean sheet in a World Cup match (19 years, 237 days), behind only Li Chan-myung in North Korea's 1–0 win over Italy in July 1966 (19 years, 198 days). This is Nigeria's first victory in a World Cup game by a margin of more than one goal since they beat Greece 2–0 in 1994 at their first World Cup tournament.[22] This was Iceland's first group stage's defeat in any big tournament.

Nigeria 2–0 Iceland
Report
Nigeria[24]
Iceland[24]
GK 23 Francis Uzoho
CB 22 Kenneth Omeruo
CB 5 William Troost-Ekong
CB 6 Leon Balogun
DM 10 John Obi Mikel (c)
CM 8 Oghenekaro Etebo downward-facing red arrow 90'
CM 4 Wilfred Ndidi
RW 11 Victor Moses
LW 2 Brian Idowu Yellow card 44' downward-facing red arrow 46'
CF 7 Ahmed Musa
CF 14 Kelechi Iheanacho downward-facing red arrow 85'
Substitutions:
DF 21 Tyronne Ebuehi upward-facing green arrow 46'
FW 9 Odion Ighalo upward-facing green arrow 85'
FW 18 Alex Iwobi upward-facing green arrow 90'
Manager:
Germany Gernot Rohr
GK 1 Hannes Þór Halldórsson
RB 2 Birkir Már Sævarsson
CB 14 Kári Árnason
CB 6 Ragnar Sigurðsson downward-facing red arrow 65'
LB 18 Hörður Björgvin Magnússon
RM 19 Rúrik Gíslason
CM 17 Aron Gunnarsson (c) downward-facing red arrow 87'
CM 10 Gylfi Sigurðsson
LM 8 Birkir Bjarnason
CF 22 Jón Daði Böðvarsson downward-facing red arrow 71'
CF 11 Alfreð Finnbogason
Substitutions:
DF 5 Sverrir Ingi Ingason upward-facing green arrow 65'
FW 9 Björn Bergmann Sigurðarson upward-facing green arrow 71'
DF 23 Ari Freyr Skúlason upward-facing green arrow 87'
Manager:
Heimir Hallgrímsson

Man of the Match:
Ahmed Musa (Nigeria)[23]

Assistant referees:[24]
Simon Lount (New Zealand)
Tevita Makasini (Tonga)
Fourth official:
Ricardo Montero (Costa Rica)
Reserve assistant referee:
Hiroshi Yamauchi (Japan)
Video assistant referee:
Massimiliano Irrati (Italy)
Assistant video assistant referees:
Paweł Gil (Poland)
Elenito Di Liberatore (Italy)
Gianluca Rocchi (Italy)

Nigeria vs Argentina

[edit]
The Argentines celebrating Rojo's goal

The two teams had met in eight matches, including four games at FIFA World Cup group stages, in 1994, 2002, 2010 and 2014, all won by Argentina.[14]

Ahmed Musa narrowly cleared the crossbar in the early minutes of the game. In the 14th minute, Lionel Messi controlled the ball from a pass over the top from Éver Banega on his thigh and his left boot before shooting a right-footed drive past Francis Uzoho from the right. Leon Balogun brought Ángel Di María down 25 yards from goal, but Uzoho tipped Messi's free kick to his left-hand post. In the second half, Leon Balogun was held in the penalty area by Javier Mascherano after a corner form the left, and Victor Moses scored from the resulting penalty to equalize for Nigeria, shooting low to the right with the goalkeeper diving the other way. After a series of defensive fouls in each penalty area that went uncalled despite a VAR check for a handball by Marcos Rojo, Oghenekaro Etebo narrowly missed from a long-range free kick. Gabriel Mercado raided down the right and bent a cross into the penalty area, with Marcos Rojo, who scored the decisive goal against Nigeria four years ago in Brazil, once again converting, as he tucked home a low right-footed volley to give Argentina the win and see them advance to the knockout stage.[25][26]

Messi's strike brought up the century for goals at Russia 2018. He also joined Diego Maradona and Gabriel Batistuta in becoming the third Argentina player to score in three World Cups.[27]

Nigeria 1–2 Argentina
Report
Nigeria[29]
Argentina[29]
GK 23 Francis Uzoho
CB 6 Leon Balogun Yellow card 32'
CB 5 William Troost-Ekong
CB 22 Kenneth Omeruo downward-facing red arrow 90'
DM 10 John Obi Mikel (c) Yellow card 90+1'
CM 8 Oghenekaro Etebo
CM 4 Wilfred Ndidi
RW 11 Victor Moses
LW 2 Brian Idowu
CF 7 Ahmed Musa downward-facing red arrow 90+2'
CF 14 Kelechi Iheanacho downward-facing red arrow 46'
Substitutions:
FW 9 Odion Ighalo upward-facing green arrow 46'
FW 18 Alex Iwobi upward-facing green arrow 90'
FW 13 Simeon Nwankwo upward-facing green arrow 90+2'
Manager:
Germany Gernot Rohr
GK 12 Franco Armani
RB 2 Gabriel Mercado
CB 17 Nicolás Otamendi
CB 16 Marcos Rojo
LB 3 Nicolás Tagliafico downward-facing red arrow 80'
RM 15 Enzo Pérez downward-facing red arrow 61'
CM 14 Javier Mascherano Yellow card 49'
CM 7 Éver Banega Yellow card 64'
LM 11 Ángel Di María downward-facing red arrow 72'
CF 10 Lionel Messi (c) Yellow card 90+4'
CF 9 Gonzalo Higuaín
Substitutions:
MF 22 Cristian Pavón upward-facing green arrow 61'
MF 13 Maximiliano Meza upward-facing green arrow 72'
FW 19 Sergio Agüero upward-facing green arrow 80'
Manager:
Jorge Sampaoli

Man of the Match:
Lionel Messi (Argentina)[28]

Assistant referees:[29]
Bahattin Duran (Turkey)
Tarık Ongun (Turkey)
Fourth official:
Björn Kuipers (Netherlands)
Reserve assistant referee:
Sander van Roekel (Netherlands)
Video assistant referee:
Daniele Orsato (Italy)
Assistant video assistant referees:
Paweł Gil (Poland)
Paweł Sokolnicki (Poland)
Massimiliano Irrati (Italy)

Iceland vs Croatia

[edit]

The two teams had met in six matches, most recently in 2017 for the 2018 FIFA World Cup qualification, which ended in a 1–0 Iceland victory.[14]

Hörður Magnússon headed wide from Jóhann Guðmundsson's outswinging corner. Alfreð Finnbogason shot wide from the edge of the area. Birkir Bjarnason pounced from a corner, but Lovre Kalinić made a save from Aron Gunnarsson's curling effort. At the restart, Milan Badelj's strike clattered off the crossbar. Badelj got his goal when he reacted to a loose ball in the Iceland box and hammered home from close range. Sverrir Ingason's header rebounded back off the bar. Dejan Lovren's handball though enabled Gylfi Sigurðsson to score from the spot in the 76th minute. Badelj provided a throughball and, having outpaced his marker, Ivan Perišić lashed home to score the winner.[30][31]

Croatia topped a world finals group for the first time in their history, and because of Croatia's victory, Argentina also qualified.[32] With the defeat, Iceland stood bottom in the group with a single point and were eliminated.

Iceland 1–2 Croatia
Report
Iceland[34]
Croatia[34]
GK 1 Hannes Þór Halldórsson
RB 2 Birkir Már Sævarsson Yellow card 84'
CB 5 Sverrir Ingi Ingason
CB 6 Ragnar Sigurðsson downward-facing red arrow 70'
LB 18 Hörður Björgvin Magnússon
CM 17 Aron Gunnarsson (c)
CM 20 Emil Hallfreðsson Yellow card 59'
RW 7 Jóhann Berg Guðmundsson
AM 10 Gylfi Sigurðsson
LW 8 Birkir Bjarnason downward-facing red arrow 90'
CF 11 Alfreð Finnbogason Yellow card 64' downward-facing red arrow 85'
Substitutions:
FW 9 Björn Bergmann Sigurðarson upward-facing green arrow 70'
MF 4 Albert Guðmundsson upward-facing green arrow 85'
MF 21 Arnór Ingvi Traustason upward-facing green arrow 90'
Manager:
Heimir Hallgrímsson
GK 12 Lovre Kalinić
RB 13 Tin Jedvaj Yellow card 83'
CB 5 Vedran Ćorluka
CB 15 Duje Ćaleta-Car
LB 22 Josip Pivarić
CM 10 Luka Modrić (c) downward-facing red arrow 65'
CM 19 Milan Badelj
RW 20 Marko Pjaca Yellow card 14' downward-facing red arrow 70'
AM 8 Mateo Kovačić downward-facing red arrow 81'
LW 4 Ivan Perišić
CF 9 Andrej Kramarić
Substitutions:
MF 14 Filip Bradarić upward-facing green arrow 65'
DF 6 Dejan Lovren upward-facing green arrow 70'
MF 7 Ivan Rakitić upward-facing green arrow 81'
Manager:
Zlatko Dalić

Man of the Match:
Milan Badelj (Croatia)[33]

Assistant referees:[34]
Pau Cebrián Devís (Spain)
Roberto Díaz Pérez (Spain)
Fourth official:
John Pitti (Panama)
Reserve assistant referee:
Gabriel Victoria (Panama)
Video assistant referee:
Paolo Valeri (Italy)
Assistant video assistant referees:
Gery Vargas (Bolivia)
Elenito Di Liberatore (Italy)
Felix Zwayer (Germany)

Discipline

[edit]

Fair play points would have been used as tiebreakers if the overall and head-to-head records of teams were tied. These were calculated based on yellow and red cards received in all group matches as follows:[2]

  • first yellow card: minus 1 point;
  • indirect red card (second yellow card): minus 3 points;
  • direct red card: minus 4 points;
  • yellow card and direct red card: minus 5 points;

Only one of the above deductions were applied to a player in a single match.

Team Match 1 Match 2 Match 3 Points
Yellow card Yellow card Yellow-red card Red card Yellow card Red card Yellow card Yellow card Yellow-red card Red card Yellow card Red card Yellow card Yellow card Yellow-red card Red card Yellow card Red card
 Iceland 3 −3
 Nigeria 1 1 2 −4
 Argentina 3 3 −6
 Croatia 2 4 2 −8

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b "FIFA World Cup Russia 2018 – Match Schedule" (PDF). FIFA.com. Fédération Internationale de Football Association. Archived from the original (PDF) on 24 June 2018. Retrieved 20 December 2017.
  2. ^ a b "Regulations – 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia" (PDF). FIFA.com. Fédération Internationale de Football Association. Retrieved 16 November 2017.
  3. ^ a b "2018 FIFA World Cup – Statistical Kit" (PDF). FIFA.com. Fédération Internationale de Football Association. Archived from the original (PDF) on 8 May 2018.
  4. ^ a b "Iceland thwart Argentina on World Cup debut". FIFA.com. Fédération Internationale de Football Association. 16 June 2018.
  5. ^ Lancaster, Rob (16 June 2018). "Finnbogason makes history as Messi fluffs his big chance". Goal.com.
  6. ^ Bevan, Chris (16 June 2018). "Argentina 1 Iceland 1". BBC Sport.
  7. ^ a b "Match report – Group D – Argentina v Iceland" (PDF). FIFA.com. Fédération Internationale de Football Association. 16 June 2018. Retrieved 16 June 2018.
  8. ^ a b c "Tactical Line-up – Group D – Argentina v Iceland" (PDF). FIFA.com. Fédération Internationale de Football Association. 16 June 2018. Retrieved 16 June 2018.
  9. ^ a b "Modric-inspired Croatia open with a win". FIFA.com. Fédération Internationale de Football Association. 16 June 2018.
  10. ^ a b Smith, Jamie (16 June 2018). "Etebo own goal, Modric penalty settle tight clash". Goal.com.
  11. ^ Whalley, Mike (16 June 2018). "Croatia 2 Nigeria 0". BBC Sport.
  12. ^ a b "Match report – Group D – Croatia v Nigeria" (PDF). FIFA.com. Fédération Internationale de Football Association. 16 June 2018. Retrieved 16 June 2018.
  13. ^ a b c "Tactical Line-up – Group D – Croatia v Nigeria" (PDF). FIFA.com. Fédération Internationale de Football Association. 16 June 2018. Retrieved 16 June 2018.
  14. ^ a b c d "2018 FIFA World Cup – Statistical Kit" (PDF). FIFA.com. Fédération Internationale de Football Association. p. 9. Archived from the original (PDF) on 8 May 2018.
  15. ^ Atkinson, Guy (21 June 2018). "Caballero drops clanger as Messi's men are stunned". Goal.com.
  16. ^ "Croatia advance on a dark night for Argentina". FIFA.com. Fédération Internationale de Football Association. 21 June 2018.
  17. ^ Jennings, Patrick (21 June 2018). "Argentina 0 Croatia 3". BBC Sport.
  18. ^ a b "Match report – Group D – Argentina v Croatia" (PDF). FIFA.com. Fédération Internationale de Football Association. 21 June 2018. Retrieved 21 June 2018.
  19. ^ a b c "Tactical Line-up – Group D – Argentina v Croatia" (PDF). FIFA.com. Fédération Internationale de Football Association. 21 June 2018. Retrieved 21 June 2018.
  20. ^ Smith, Jamie (22 June 2018). "Musa brace boosts Super Eagles & Argentina". Goal.com.
  21. ^ "Musa brace brings Nigeria back into contention". FIFA.com. Fédération Internationale de Football Association. 22 June 2018.
  22. ^ Johnston, Neil (22 June 2018). "Nigeria 2 Iceland 0". BBC Sport.
  23. ^ a b "Match report – Group D – Nigeria v Iceland" (PDF). FIFA.com. Fédération Internationale de Football Association. 22 June 2018. Retrieved 22 June 2018.
  24. ^ a b c "Tactical Line-up – Group D – Nigeria v Iceland" (PDF). FIFA.com. Fédération Internationale de Football Association. 22 June 2018. Retrieved 22 June 2018.
  25. ^ Smith, Jamie (26 June 2018). "Late Rojo stunner saves Messi's men". Goal.com.
  26. ^ Skelton, Jack (26 June 2018). "Nigeria 1 Argentina 2". BBC Sport.
  27. ^ "Rojo returns to haunt Nigeria as Argentina progress". FIFA.com. Fédération Internationale de Football Association. 26 June 2018.
  28. ^ a b "Match report – Group D – Nigeria v Argentina" (PDF). FIFA.com. Fédération Internationale de Football Association. 26 June 2018. Retrieved 26 June 2018.
  29. ^ a b c "Tactical Line-up – Group D – Nigeria v Argentina" (PDF). FIFA.com. Fédération Internationale de Football Association. 26 June 2018. Retrieved 26 June 2018.
  30. ^ Reddy, Luke (26 June 2018). "Iceland 1 Croatia 2". BBC Sport.
  31. ^ Ridge, Patric (26 June 2018). "Perisic strikes late on to secure maximum points". Goal.com.
  32. ^ "Croatia send brave Iceland home". FIFA.com. Fédération Internationale de Football Association. 26 June 2018.
  33. ^ a b "Match report – Group D – Iceland v Croatia" (PDF). FIFA.com. Fédération Internationale de Football Association. 26 June 2018. Retrieved 26 June 2018.
  34. ^ a b c "Tactical Line-up – Group D – Iceland v Croatia" (PDF). FIFA.com. Fédération Internationale de Football Association. 26 June 2018. Retrieved 26 June 2018.
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