Late Perisic goal seals Croatia's 2-1 win as Iceland exit the World Cup

Croatia, who were already through to the next round, have the perfect score from the group stage while Iceland exit after a series of spirited performances.

Struggling to make their mark, Iceland will aim for nothing less than a win when they take on already-qualified Croatia in their last Group D clash at the Rostov Arena in Russia on Tuesday.

Full-time report: This match seals things for Group D. Croatia have advanced to the next round with nine points from three games after beating Iceland 2-1 following a late goal by Ivan Perisic. Iceland exit the World Cup along with Nigeria who lost 1-2 to Argentina in a simultaneous match.

Croatia made nine changes to their starting line-up, giving Iceland a good chance to win the game and even advance to the next round, provided they had better goal difference than Argentina. But that didn't come to pass despite the fact that Iceland looked good while attacking on the counter. 

Croatia started the match really well and dominated possession but neither team really threatened in the starting minutes. 

Iceland, however, had a brilliant game in the second half of the first half and created many chances for themselves. In the 40th minute, Iceland's Finnbogason won the ball in the Croatia half after dispossessing a player, ran towards the box, passed the ball to Sigurdsson who passed it back to him in the box only for him to then drag his final shot wide of the target. In the injury time, Ingason had a shot saved from inside the box. 

Croatia took control of the game from the start of the second half, and in the 53rd minute, Croatia scored through Milan Badelj. The midfielder got the ball in the centre of the box after a poor clearance by the Iceland defence, controlled his volley and hit a bouncing shot into the net. 

However, Iceland pulled the scores level when he scored from the penalty spot in the 76th minute after a handball inside the Croatian box. Sigurdsson took the penalty and hit it straight down the middle sending keeper out of the way. 

Sverrir Ingason nearly scored twice just moments later, heading just over and then again off the crossbar.

Iceland had a glimmer of hope late in the game when it looked like the Nigeria-Argentina was heading towards a draw. Iceland pushed men forward before Perisic scored in the 90th minute to seal the deal for Croatia. The winger received the ball on the left, sprinted and unleashed a powerful shot which Iceland's Halldorsson got hands to but the ball still found its way inside the goalpost.

The win makes it three wins for Croatia in as many matches and they will face Denmark in the next round while Argentina will face France, which topped its group. Iceland go home but they must be proud as they showed enough grit and passion to trouble higher-placed teams in their debut World Cup tournament and despite the losses, they have won much admiration from across the globe for their efforts.

Live updates:

It's full-time. Croatia win it 2-1. Croatia have already advanced, and as things stands, Argentina will join them in the next stage. Iceland, after a gritty show exit the World Cup.

Minute 89 (GOAL!!)-- Perisic scores for Croatia!! He receives the ball on the inside left and cooly slots the ball which takes a slight touch of the Iceland keeper's hand but inside the goal.

Minute 85 -- Substitution for Finnbogason is out for Albert Gudmundsson

Minute 80-- Croatia substitution: Rakitic in for Kovacic.

Minute 76 (GOAL!!) -- Sigurdsson takes the penalty and hits it straight down the middle sending keeper out of the way!

Minute 74 -- Handball and penalty! Iceland cross from the right, and it hits Lovren’s left arm. There’s clear movement of arm towards ball, and that’s as clear as you’re going to get.

Minute 69 -- Substitution for Iceland: Sigurdsson out, Sigurdason in

Minute 64: Substitution for Croatia: Captain Modric goes out for Bradaric.

Minute 57-- Hallfredsson is shown a yellow card for hacking down Pjaca.

Minute 53 (GOAL!!)-- Croatia score!! Milan Badelj gives his team the lead. He gets the ball in the centre of the box, controls his volley and hits a bouncing shot into the net. Croatia 1-Iceland 0

Second-half begins. No change in personnel.

Half-time analysis: This has been the story of two halves. Croatia, despite resting a couple of their stars, started really well and dominated possession but neither team really threatened in the starting minutes. Iceland, however, had a brilliant game in the second half of the first half and created many chances for themselves.

In the 40th minute, Iceland's Finnbogason won the ball in the Croatia half after dispossessing a player, ran towards the box, passed the ball to Sigurdsson who passed it back to him in the box only for him to then drag his final shot wide of the target. In the injury time, Ingason had a shot saved from inside the box. And although the game is balanced as far as scores are concerned, it's the Iceland who have had better chances. They will need to create some more of these and convert them too because as things stand, Argentina are leading 1-0 against Nigeria, and in order to advance to the knockout stage, Iceland will need to not just win but also have a better goal difference than Island.

Minute 45+1 -- Ingason has a shot saved from inside the box. He takes the shot from the inside right of the box and targets the left side of the goalpost only to be denied by the flying Croatian goalkeeper who parries it out for a corner.

Minute 43-- Hallfredsson fancies a shot from outside the box but his strike was always flying well over the target.

Minute 40 -- A great chance for Iceland. Finnbogason wins the possession of the ball after dispossessing a Croatian player, run towards the area, passes the ball to Sigurdsson who passes it back to him in the box but then Finnbogason drags his final shot wide of the target!

Minute 37-- Perisic receives the 25 yards out and in the centre. He controls, spins, and volleys the ball well wide.

Minute 31 -- Iceland with a free-kick in a good shooting position, Gylfi Sigurdsson fired it towards goal and it almost sneaked into the bottom corner. However, Kalinic read the effort well and managed to gather the ball.

Minute 26 -- Iceland have looked good in counters and they have tried to take advantage of a few sloppy passes by Croatia but neither team have been good in the final third.

Minute 15 -- In the other match of Group D, Argentina are a goal up against Nigeria. Of course, Lionel Messi is the scorer.

Minute 10 -- Iceland look to break and start their first attack. Finnbogason sprints down to the right of the Croatian box with support arriving but his cross is poor.

Minute 8 -- Pjaca is sprinting down the Iceland half before going down just outside the box but the referee isn't interested.

Minute 4-- Croatia are understandably dominating the possession in the starting minutes.

Peeeeeeeeppppp!! And.. we're off!

Confirmed Lineups: 

Iceland: 

Starting XI: Halldorsson, Saevarsson, Ingason, Ragnar, Sigurdsson, Magnusson, Gunnarsson, Hallfredsson, Johann Berg Gudmundsson, Gylfi Sigurdsson, Bjarnason, Finnbogason. 

Subs: Schram, Fridjonsson, Albert Gudmundsson, Sigurdarson, Arnason, Eyjolfsson, Olafur Ingi Skulason, Gislason, Traustason, Bodvarsson, Ari Freyr Skulason, Runarsson. 

Croatia: 

Starting XI: Lovre Kalinic, Jedvaj, Corluka, Caleta-Car, Pivaric, Modric, Badelj, Pjaca, Kovacic, Perisic, Kramaric. 

Subs: Livakovic, Vrsaljko, Strinic, Lovren, Rakitic, Brozovic, Bradaric, Mandzukic, Rebic, Vida, Subasic.

Iceland vs Croatia

Croatia vs Iceland: Match Preview
 

Croatia are already through to the Round of 16 with victories over Argentina and Nigeria while Iceland played a draw with Argentina before losing to Nigeria.

Iceland's fate does not only lie in their own hands as a win on Tuesday may not be enough for them but will also hope that Nigeria lose to Argentina.

Croatia tops the group with six points while the Heimir Hallgrimsson-coached Iceland have just a single point in their kitty and lie at the third spot.

After already achieving their first objective, Croatia would likely bench some of their players against Iceland.

On Tuesday, Croatia could also become the fourth team in the history of the World Cup to win all three of their group games without conceding a goal.

Six Croatian players -- Ivan Rakitic, Ante Rebic, Sime Vrsaljko, Mario Mandzukic, Marcelo Brozovic and Vedran Corluka -- are one booking away from being suspended for the last 16 and some of them are likely to be rested against Iceland.

Hinting at resting these players in Tuesday's clash, Croatia head coach Zlatko Dalic said: "I'd like to top the group. But, we have to take care because we have some players on yellow cards, so I will change the line-up."

"I will not start those who are on yellow cards because it's too much of a risk, there are 22 players who can play," he added.

Iceland, on the other hand, are known for bouncing back from defeats such as the one they suffered against Nigeria.

The islanders employed a 4-5-1 formation against Argentina before switching to a 4-4-2 formation against the African side.

Emil Hallfredsson, who missed the match against Nigeria, is expected to return to the starting XI along with Johann Gudmundsson, who is almost fit again.

Commenting on their clash, Hallgrimsson said the game will be a tough test for both the sides.

"We know the scenario when we play Croatia - it's (always) going to be really tough games," Hallgrimsson told mediapersons.

"Normally it's steel to steel, not a lot of chances, always a lot of yellow cards. In three games out of four, we've had a red card," he added.

Iceland will mostly rely on Gylfi Sigurdsson, their highest-profile player, who missed a late penalty against Nigeria and a goal could have pulled his team back into the game.

Iceland vs Croatia: Trivia

Croatia could become the fifth team in the history of the World Cup to win all three of their group games without conceding a goal, a feat previously achieved by Brazil at Mexico 1986, Italy on home soil in 1990, Argentina at France 1998 and Uruguay here at Russia 2018.

Iceland vs Croatia: Possible team line-ups
 

Iceland: Hannes Halldorsson; Birkir Saevarsson, Kari Arnason, Ragnar Sigurdson, Hordur Magnusson; Aron Gunnarsson, Emil Hallfredsson, Johann Gudmundsson, Gylfi Sigurdsson, Birkir Bjarnason; Alfred Finnbogason

Croatia: Lovre Kalinic; Tin Jedvaj, Vedran Corluka, Domagoj Vida, Josip Pivaric; Milan Badelj, Mateo Kovacic, Filip Bradaric; Marko Pjaca, Andrej Kramaric, Ivan Perisic

Iceland vs Croatia: There is more

Even a win may not be enough for Iceland, as they will need to keep an eye on Argentina’s meeting with Nigeria in Saint Petersburg. If Nigeria win, Iceland will go out. If Argentina draw or win, it will all come down to goal difference.

When and Where to watch: Iceland vs Croatia

Time: 11:30 PM (IST)

In today's Group D match, Iceland vs Croatia, will be played in Rostov on Tuesday, 26, 2018 at 11:30 PM (IST).

Iceland vs Croatia match will be broadcast on Sony Ten 2, Sony Ten 2 HD, Sony Six and Sony Six HD in English Commentary and Sony Ten 3 and Sony 3 HD in Hindi Commentary.

Iceland vs Croatia match will be available for live streaming on Sony Liv also. And Both Airtel and Jio would broadcast the FIFA World Cup 2018 matches for free to their respective subscribers.