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MOSCOW: The Day 3 of the ongoing FIFA World Cup 2018 is here. Argentina start as hot favourites to beat Iceland in their opening World Cup Group D match on Saturday but the toughest opponent for the runners-up four years ago may be themselves rather than the tiny tournament debutants.
Three other matches - France and Australia (Group C), Peru vs Denmark (Group C) and Croatia vs Nigeria (Group D) - are also scheduled for today.
Champions in 1978 and 1986, Argentina are part of football’s elite and have in their ranks Lionel Messi, the five-times world player of the year.
Here are the live updates from the match:
Half-time Argentina 1-1 Iceland
45 minute: Sigurdsson goes for a volley but fires it wide. Good effort! Iceland are pushing Argentina defenders to get back.
43 minute: That was rare! Messi gives away a long pass from Aguero. 2 minutes to go!
41 minute: The ball hits the hand of an Iceland defender but the referee disregards- as not deliberate. NO PENALTY!
35 minute: Messi, Aguero, Dybala, three of the world's finest forwards are playing but nothing has come out of the game so far for Argentina.
34 minute: Iceland are restricting the Argentinian players for shots outside the box and are forcing them to attempt shots from distance.
32 minute: Biglia pulls-off an effort but it is off target, fails to test Iceland's goalkeeper.
27 minute: Messi continues to trouble Iceland, but Iceland hold a tight line. They seem to have prepared really well on the Argentinian player.
23 minute: Goal!!! Finnbogason taps the ball into the goal from six yards, to give Iceland their first ever World cup goal. Iceland 1-1 Argentina.
20 minute: Messi fires the ball from the left flank but right into the hands of Iceland goalkeeper Halldorsson.
19 minute: Goal!!! Sergio Aguero scores a stunner into the top corner, his first World Cup goal. Argentina 1-0 Iceland
16 minute: Messi has been busy in the Iceland penalty box but the defenders keep him quiet.
15 minute: Argentina on a counter-attack, but gives away the possession with a poor pass up front, Iceland's Finbogason flicks it away.
12 minute: Argentina's Otamendi clouds the ball from the far-post, it is a long way away from the goal.
10 minute: Messi is cramped for space by Iceland's defenders.
8 minute: That was close! Iceland striker had a clear shot on the South-American goal but misses.
7 minute: Messi flick in the ball off a free-kick, Tagliafico stoops down to head the ball towards the Iceland goal but misses by a whisker.
5 minute: Though Argentina have dominated in early minutes, Iceland hold a tight line and deny space.
3 minute: Free-kick for Argentina. Messi nearly curved in inside the Iceland goalpost.
Argentina takes on Iceland for the first time at the World Cup.
Lineups
Argentina XI: Caballero; Salvio, Otamendi, Rojo, Tagliafico; Biglia, Mascherano; Meza, Messi, Di María; Agüero
Substitutes: Guzmán, Armani, Mercado, Ansaldi, Fazio, Pérez, Banega, Lo Celso, Acuña, Dybala, Pavón, Higuaín
Iceland XI: Halidórsson; Saevarsson, Árnason, Sigurdsson, Mangússon; Gudmundsson, Gunnarsson, Hallfredsson, Bjarnason; Sigurdsson, Finnbogason
Substitutes: Shram, Gúnarsson, Fridjónsson, Gudmundsson, Ingason, Sigurdarson, Eyjólfsson, Skúlason, Gíslason, Traustason, Bödvarsson, Skúlason
Squads:
Argentina
Goalkeepers: Nahuel Guzman, Franco Armani, Wilfredo Caballero.
Defenders: Marco Acuna, Cristian Ansaldi, Federico Fazio, Javier Mascherano, Gabriel Mercado, Nicolas Otamendi, Marcos Rojo, Eduardo Salvio, Nicolas Tagliafico.
Midfielders: Ever Banega, Lucas Biglia, Angel Di Maria, Giovani Lo Celso, Maxi Meza, Enzo Perez, Cristian Pavon.
Forwards: Lionel Messi, Sergio Aguero, Gonzalo Higuain, Paulo Dybala
Iceland:
Goalkeepers: Hannes Þór Halldórsson, Rúnar Alex Rúnarsson, Frederik Schram.
Defenders: Kári Árnason, Ari Freyr Skúlason, Ragnar Sigurðsson, Hörður Björgvin Magnússon, Birkir Már Sævarsson, Sverrir Ingi Ingason, Hólmar Örn Eyjólfsson.
Midfielders: Jóhann Berg Guðmundsson, Birkir Bjarnason, Arnór Ingvi Traustason, Emil Hallfreðsson, Gylfi Sigurðsson, Ólafur Ingi Skúlason, Rúrik Gíslason, Samúel Kári Friðjónsson, Aron Einar Gunnarsson.
Forwards: Alfreð Finnbogason, Jón Daði Böðvarsson, Björn Bergmann Sigurðarson, Albert Guðmundsso
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