World Cup Day 13: Messi, Rojo lead Argentina through taken at BSJ Headquarters (Revolution)

(Cezaro De Luca/picture alliance via Getty Images)

Revolution

World Cup Day 13: Messi, Rojo lead Argentina through

By Sean Sweeney

Jun 26, 2018 • 5:31 pm

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Couldn't keep up with the last day of Groups C and D? Don't worry, BostonSportsJournal.com has you covered with all the action from Russia in quickie form, complete with BSJ analysis and insight.

FIVE THOUGHTS FROM TUESDAY'S ACTION

Argentina through to the knockout stages with 2-1 win over Nigeria: From fourth to second, and it was on from the word go. The Albicelestes made five changes to their squad for the Group D finale -- goalkeeper Franco Armani made his international debut -- and capitalized on the changes. And as the Argentina national anthem played, Lionel Messi had his head up, his eyes focused: a radical change from the pre-match with Croatia. Messi put his stamp on the match 14 minutes in: after holding a great deal of the possession, Messi got behind the defending, took Ever Banega's pass from near the midway line right off the chest, and with his third touch fired it in -- and helped Diego Maradona see God -- to get Argentina off on the right foot. He nearly had a second off a free kick 20 yards from goal, but he just missed the target and clanged it off the far post. Javier Mascherano found himself yellow-carded for a bear hug in the penalty area, and Victor Moses calmly slotted the resulting penalty home to level the match at 1-1 after 51 minutes. Nigeria would have a penalty shout, but VAR denied an Argentina handle (ball to hand, not hand to ball). And just as the 86th minute expired, Marcos Rojo deposited a cross from the flank into the lower right-hand corner to lift Argentina into the Round of 16.

First scoreless draw in the tournament comes between France-Denmark: This one wasn't exactly entertaining, and no, not because of the lack of goals: France only needed a draw to finish first, and Denmark didn't exactly need to win, especially once Peru settled things in Sochi. France also rested Paul Pogba for the tie, and that presented creativity issues for that team. Denmark had early pressure against Les Bleus, and the Danes had a penalty shout at the end of the 29th that fell on deaf ears. France had a couple of go's, but couldn't make the onion bag burp. With Peru holding a 2-0 lead on Australia in the second half, both France and Denmark were safe, and both go through to the knockout stages. France finished top with seven points, Denmark second with five.

They're dancing in the streets of Lima: It's been 40 years in the waiting. Peru had a slow start, but Andre Carrillo took care of that in the 18th minute with an incredible cross-body bouncing bullet from 19 yards away to mark Peru's first goal at a World Cup since 1982. That goal forced Australia to charge forward in order to have a chance at advancing. And the Socceroos did, having incredible chances at scoring but like France, not getting the ball into the net. But in the 50th, with nice build-up, Peru made it 2-nil as Paolo Guerrero, who came into the World Cup tied for Peru's all-time lead in goals scored with 35, scored the record-breaking 36th. Longtime Australia servant Tim Cahill -- playing without a club -- finally made his '18 World Cup debut in the 53rd minute, and he tried to assert his authority on the match, to no avail. The match ended 2-nil, with Peru triumphantly finishing third.

Croatia cleans out Iceland, takes Group D with nine points: Iceland had a great deal of possession and tried its level best to break through Croatia's defense, but couldn't get through; an Alfred Finnbogasson try in the 41st missed the near post by mere inches. But just after Nigeria equalized, Croatia went ahead with an off-balance half-volley by Milan Bidelj to go up by a goal to nil. Iceland would try to answer with a pair of attempts to the top shelf, but Lovre Kalinic popped both over the crossbar. Iceland tried to pull level in the 73rd with a chip, and Croatia went the other way and nearly made it 2-0. But on the trip the other way, Iceland were awarded a penalty for a Croatia handle in the box, and Gylfi Sigurdsson buried the pen to put the match at level terms in the 76th minute. But that lasted until the last gasps of the normal 90, as Ivan Perisic scored the match winner and eliminated Iceland.

Smart gamble by Denmark: In between windows, I only had one thought as to why Denmark didn't really try to have a go at a match winner: it felt content taking on Croatia in the Round of 16; there was still a few hours before Group D kicked off at that time, and with Argentina still dangerous despite not showing up against Croatia and Iceland, I had to think the Danes didn't exactly want to take the chance of going up against the Albicelestes should Argentina beat Nigeria to save its World Cup. Several hours later, the gamble -- or at least my thought about the reasons why Denmark didn't go for goal -- has seemed to pay off, as now it's France who has to play Argentina on Saturday.

OFF THE PITCH


  • The German FA -- the DFB -- has suspended two members of its backroom staff for the post-match kerfluffle involving them with Sweden's coaches late last week. The two men will not be in attendance Wednesday, and FIFA is investigating the incident at Sweden's behest.

  • Iran has blasted the VAR system for not sending off Cristiano Ronaldo in Monday's Group B finale.

  • Colombia-Poland received 7.9 million viewers between FOX and Telemundo.

  • Weird to think about it, but FOX announcer Jorge Perez-Navarro ("IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIT'S SOCCER TIME!") said they were changing the Telstar match ball out at the end of the group stages. First time this is happening, a different ball for the group stages and knockout rounds.

  • NBC Sports Network will simulcast Telemundo's coverage of England-Belgium on Thursday.


STATS OF THE DAY


  • June 26 is not a great day in US Men's National Team history: Lost to Germany in the group stages in '14;  lost to Ghana in extra time in the '10 Round of 16; lost to Romania in the group in '94.

  • Tuesday's Group C finale was the first-ever meeting between Australia and Peru.

  • Australia captain Mile Jedinak's two penalty goals at this World Cup are more than the goals he's scored in the last four club seasons with Crystal Palace and Aston Villa. He scored one goal for Villa this past season, and none in the previous three seasons.

  • Peru's last goal at a World Cup before Tuesday? Guillermo La Rosa in the 83rd minute against Poland, June 22, '82. Peru's last win in a World Cup match? A 4-1 win over Iran, June 11, '78 in Argentina.

  • Argentina and Nigeria met in the group stage finale four years ago; the Albicelestes won, 3-2.

  • Messi is the first player to score World Cup goals in his teens, 20s, and 30s.


PLAYER OF THE DAY


Lionel Messi, striker, Argentina




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WHAT TO EXPECT ON WEDNESDAY


El Tri

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