Argentina 1-1 Iceland: Lionel Messi misses penalty as newcomers hang on

19:16 · SAT June 16, 2018

Lionel Messi missed a penalty as Argentina were held to a 1-1 draw by World Cup debutants Iceland in Moscow.

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The smallest nation ever to make it to the World Cup finals showed the same sort of grit and determination that saw them make a surprising quarter-final run at Euro 2016 in France.

Sergio Aguero gave Argentina the lead with a superb turn and finish on 19 minutes but Iceland had been matching their far more illustrious rivals and levelled just four minutes later.

Argentina were caught playing out from the back and the ball fell for Alfred Finnbogason to slot home Iceland’s first World Cup goal.

That eventually led to Iceland’s first World Cup point but only after goalkeeper and part-time film director Hannes Halldorsson provided the Hollywood ending by saving Messi’s spot-kick just after the hour mark.

The Barcelona superstar has had some severe trouble from 12 yards as that made it four misses from his last seven penalties, Halldorsson diving to his right to save comfortably.

Argentina had to settle for a point in what now looks a much more open Group D than originally thought – given Croatia and Nigeria are next up.

Iceland have been trimmed slightly to 2/1 to qualify after their encouraging performance, with Argentina still odds-on to get through but having been been pushed out to 11/10 from 4/7 to top the group.

Opta Stats

Argentina failed to win their opening match at a World Cup tournament for the first time since losing to Cameroon in 1990. They eventually reached the final of that edition, losing out to Germany.
This was Iceland’s first ever World Cup game – Senegal were the last side to win on their debut in the competition (vs France in 2002), while Croatia were the last European side to do so (vs Jamaica in 1998).
Iceland failed to record a single shot in the second half, while Argentina recorded 16 attempts on Iceland’s goal in that period.
Argentina have missed their last two penalties taken at a World Cup (excluding shootouts), with Ariel Ortega failing to convert against Sweden in 2002 before Lionel Messi’s effort today.
Argentina forward Lionel Messi had 11 shots in total in this match, more than he’s had in any of his previous appearances at the World Cup.
Javier Mascherano made his 144th appearance for Argentina in this match, overtaking Javier Zanetti as their most capped player.
Argentina’s Sergio Aguero scored his first ever World Cup goal, in what was his ninth appearance across three tournaments in the competition.
Alfred Finnbogason’s goal was Iceland’s first ever at the World Cup, with what was also their first shot on target in the competition.
Iceland forward Alfred Finnbogason’s goal after 23 minutes was the earliest scored for a nation playing in their first ever World Cup match since Rashidi Yekini netted after 21 minutes for Nigeria against Bulgaria on June 21st 1994.
Argentina’s Lionel Messi has missed four of the last seven penalties he’s taken for club and country (excluding shootouts).

Aguero puts Argentina ahead

GOAL! Aguero controls the ball impeccably, spins and fires in his first ever World Cup goal with a rocket of a left-foot shot pic.twitter.com/yKiHHEuf7r
— ITV Football (@itvfootball) June 16, 2018

Finnbogason equaliser for Iceland

GOAL! Caballero fails to collect a cross-come-shot from Sigurdsson and Finnbogason taps in to send the Iceland fans wild pic.twitter.com/eYoGKlOrmt
— ITV Football (@itvfootball) June 16, 2018

Halldorsson saves Messi penalty

PENALTY MISSED! Messi steps up and looks to curl the penalty into the corner but Hannes springs to his right and makes a cracking save pic.twitter.com/gdbCMZ1G7E
— ITV Football (@itvfootball) June 16, 2018