Key points from Argentina-Iceland game

The first group D game between Argentina has come and gone. The Vikings has the Icelanders are popular pulled a spectacular in securing a well deserved draw against the more fancied Argentinian side,National Daily learnt.

Here are some key points from the game.

*1. ICELAND MEANS BUSINESS:* With this result the  Vikings have clearly showed that they are not at the world cup for a pool party but rather are here to go as far as they can possibly go but definitely the plan is not to return home after the group stage.

*2. MESSI CAN BE CURTAILED:* Leonel Messi was frustrated all through the game but even at that he was the most fouled player on the pitch also registering 10 shoots on goal with Halldórsson denying the Argentine captain from the spot.

*3. GYLFI SIGURDSSON WITH THE PASSES:* The Everton man is the most popular Iceland player on parade and he did his profile no harm with the way he held his head high against a team that paraded the likes of Angel Di Maria, Lucas Biglia, Javier Mascherano and Lionel Messi. His composure and movement both with and without the ball created a whole lot of opening for his teammates.
Alfred Finnabogason benefited from one of his deliveries to register Iceland first ever world cup goal which incidentally happened to secured the vital point against Argentina.

*3. ICELAND HAVE TALL PLAYERS:* The Vikings have a specific pattern of play which is, we attack together and defend together.
In Arnason, Sævarsson, Magnusson and Gunnarsson they possess an array of defenders that hardly set a foot wrong when it comes to protecting their rare guard.
They always made sure they had more than 6 men behind the ball at all times limiting the trio of Sergio Aguero, Lionel Messi and Angel Di Maria to a handful of chances.

*5. CHRISTIAN PAVON:* A certain Christian Pavon would have stolen the show but his effort late on was acrobatically punch to safety by the impresive  Halldórsson in goal for Iceland. No wonder when Sampouli needed a bite in his attack he brought on the Boca Juniors winger instead of the more fancied Paolo Dyabla.

As it is now both Nigeria and Croatia will be under intense pressure to get the maximum points tonight bouyed with the fact that top seeded Argentina was unble to defeat Iceland.

Argentina will not want to lose any point as it is while Nigeria must sit tight and get the business done against the Croats else we (Nigerians) might be playing  the Russian roulette with our chances of making the rounds of 16 of the 2018 FIFA World cup in Russia.