Sports Desk/ Muhammad Shakib
The Argentine superstar Lionel Messi’s miss-penalty caused the Latin giant to draw against Iceland in the first match of group-D of FIFA World Cup 2018 by 1-1 goals. The match kicked off at 7 pm in Bangladesh time on Saturday at Spartak Stadium in Moscow, Russia.
The five times Ballon d’Or winner Leo Messi failed to put the ball into the net from the penalty spot as Argentina was awarded a penalty on the 64th minute of the game when Sampaoli’s men were in the equalizing score with Iceland.
Earlier with the beginning of the match the favorite Argentina put forth their attack to a great extent to attain an early lead in the game although several attempts were denied by the Icelander goalkeeper Halldorsson.
The break finally came through on the 19th minute of the game when the Latin defender Rojo chipped ball into the box that was carried and well executed by Man City forward Sergio Aguero to lead the two times world cup winners into 1-0 goal.
The Icelander didn’t have to wait longer as the equalizer came within next 5 minutes. Iceland winger Sigurdsson crossed the ball into the box that made the forward Finnbogason easily penetrate the ball into the Argentine net to mark both the equalizer as well as the first ever goal for Iceland in the World Cup tournament.
The second half began with pressure increasing on the shoulder of all time best player Leo Messi as his team were lagging away from a goal to get a win over the Iceland. After Messi’s penalty miss, Sampaoli’s men tried their best to have a lead in the game but in vain. And with the referee’s whistled to end the game, Argentina had to finish their world cup journey with a draw.
Picture: Getty Image