Following Friday’s thrilling day of performances and last minute heroics, Saturday features a quartet of matches across Russia.
The first of four matches sees France and Australia duke it out in Group C. Les Bleus are the heavy favorites to win the group but also advance deep into the knockout stage. Led by a youthful attack, Didier Deschamps side will look to roll past a unified Australian team.
Argentina and Iceland feature in the second match of the day, with both looking for strong starts in Group D. Lionel Messi headlines the Argentine attack, while Sergio Aguero and Paulo Dybala will also look to feature alongside the Barcelona star. Iceland are making their first ever World Cup appearance and would love to kick it off with a splash. Everton’s Gylfi Sigurdsson will pull the strings in midfield and can also knock in a goal or two himself.
The 12:00 noon match sees Peru face Denmark in a battle of two sides in the race for a runners up spot in Group C. Both teams will look to spoil France’s dreams of winning the group, but first they will need a strong start against one another. Peru is headlined by striker Paolo Guerrero who was admitted to play by FIFA. Denmark will look to counter with the star ability of Tottenham midfielder Christian Eriksen. This is the first ever meeting between these two countries.
The day concludes with Nigeria looking to pull an upset against Croatia. The Super Eagles are propelled by a veteran leader in John Obi Mikel while Alex Iwobi and Kelechi Iheanacho highlight the attack. Croatia are a stubborn defensive side who have enough star quality to win Group D. Midfielder Luka Modric and striker Mario Mandzukic are the dangerous duo for the Croats.
The SBI staff will be offering updates and analysis in the comments section below, so feel free to follow along, and as always, please feel free to share your own thoughts and opinions below.
Enjoy the action.
Nigeria looking to get back into the game with some possession early in the second half. They’ve seen a couple looks, but nothing causing fans to leap from their seats yet.
Croatia has certainly controlled the match since the goal. They came close to bagging a second before the break, too. Nigeria hasn’t been silent, however. They’ve gotten scattered chances at goal, but have mostly been weathering the Croatian pressure.
It wasn’t Kramaric with the finish. Mandzukic got the final touch with his boot before Etebo deflects it in. It goes down as an own goal off the Nigerian midfielder.
Goal Croatia! Krmaric gets a touch to a corner to put his side ahead in the 32nd minute.
Mandzukic with an excellent look from the top of the box. He gets a cracker off his foot that sails just inches over the bar.
Both sides feeling out the game early on. We’re 12 minutes in and neither side has gotten a shot off yet. Although Croatia appears slightly in control.
Final: Peru 0 – Denmark 1. Yussuf Poulsen scores the winner for Denmark and Kasper Schmeichel keeps a huge clean sheet. Denmark faces Australia on Thursday, while France faces Peru. That’s all for me today, thanks for keeping tabs and enjoy the rest of your day!
Five minutes of stoppage time coming. Can Peru claim an equalizer? 91′
Schmeichel with a kick save on Jefferson Farfan. Farfan is replaced by Raul Ruidiaz, the latest Seattle Sounders acquisition. 85′
Denmark’s final sub sees Mathias Jorgensen come on for Andreas Christensen. 81′
Guerrero’s back heel misses the post. 80′
Another simple save for Schmeichel as Peru’s effort continue to tally up. 73′
Carrillo hands up a cross on the back post by Poulsen luckily heads it up for Schmeichel to catch. Denmark need to start relieving pressure. 71′
Rodriguez heads across goal and Farfan and Carrillo both cannot get onto it. Peru really missing chances now to tie it up. 69′
Braithwaite has one goal in 21 national team appearances for Denmark. 68′
Second sub for Denmark: Sisto is coming off as Martin Braithwaite comes on. 67′
Guerrero heads towards goal with his first real attack but Schmeichel gathers easy. 64′
First sub for Peru: Paolo Guerrero on for Flores. 62′
Kasper Schmeichel with a good save as Peru look to equalize. 60′
Eriksen lays a pass off for Yussuf Poulsen who finishes past Gallese. 1-0 58′
A nice run by Cueva eventually sees the ball fall to Flores who scuffs his effort wide. 56′
HT: Peru 0 – Denmark 0. An energized first half but Peru shot themselves in the foot with that missed penalty. Denmark have had chances as well. But no leader yet. More to come.
Poulsen heads Eriksen’s corner over the bar. 47′
Christian Cueva with the long run up and soars the PK into the stands! Unbelievable. 46′
After video review, we have a penalty for Peru! What a turn of events. 45′
After review, Cueva went down pretty easy. 44′
Referee leaves the whistle in his mouth and doesn’t blow after looked like a clear foul inside of the box on Peru. 44′
Delaney pulls his shot side and Poulsen cannot get on the end of it.41′
Eriksen lines up and smashes it into the wall, a follow up attempt by Schone is taken in by Gallese. 39′
Silly foul by Tapia as he bundles Sisto over and now Eriksen has a dangerous spot for a FK. 38′
William Kvist is bring stretchered off and it doesn’t look good. Lasse Schone comes on as his replacement. 35′
Kjaer with a huge effort to deflect Cueva’s effort out for a corner. 29′
Thomas Delaney tests his luck from long-range but misses the bar. 27′
Eriksen’s cross goes way wide over the box and it’s now a Peru GK. 26′
Offsides Peru on their free kick. 21′
Sisto’s effort deflects up into some arms of the Peru defenders. Doesn’t look like a penalty to me at all. 20′
Denmark’s corner is canceled out after a foul on Gallese forces the ref to blow the whistle. 19′
Corner Peru as Christensen gets back and nods the ball from Luis Advincula. 16′
Corner Peru as another shot deflects out off of a Danish defender. 14′
Schmeichel dives to his right and pushes out a blast by Carrillo. 13′
Flores tests his luck from long-range but misses over the bar. 11′
A long effort by Peru goes out for a GK. 5′
And we’re underway from Saransk! Peru in the white, Denmark in the red. 1′
Before I take a short break ahead of Peru vs. Denmark, here are the starting line-ups.
Peru Starting XI: Gallese (GK), Advincula, Trauco, Rodriguez, Ramos, Tapia, Yotun, Carrillo, Flores, Farfan.
Notable Bench Players: Guerrero, Aquino, Ruidiaz, Hurtado, Araujo.
Denmark Starting XI: Schmeichel (GK), Dalsgaard, Stryger Larsen, Kjaer, Christensen, Kvist, Delaney, Poulsen, Sisto, Eriksen, Jorgensen.
Notable Bench Players: Fischer, Vestergaard, Cornelius, Braithwaite, Dolberg, Krohn-Dehli.
Messi into the wall and that’s the final kick of the match. Argentina draws Iceland 1-1. What a result for the smallest nation ever to qualify for the World Cup. Argentina faces Croatia next Thursday while Iceland plays Nigeria.
Free kick Argentina in the 94th minute and Messi looks ready to take his one. 94′
Messi works it onto his right foot but soars it wide of the goal. Definitely not his best afternoon. 92′
Finnbogason is coming off for Bjorn Sigurdarson as the final Iceland sub. 88′
Seventh save for Halldorsson as he gathers Mascherano’s long-range effort. 87′
Halldorsson with another big save to keep out Pavon’s effort. 86′