FIFA 2018 World Cup: Nigeria Spank Iceland 2-0

Nigeria spanked Iceland 2 goals to nil at the first stage, Group D match played at the Volgograd Arena, Volgograd  at the ongoing FIFA World Cup in Russia.

Ahmed Musa’s exquisite touch and finish puts Nigeria 1-0 up against Iceland in their group D tie at the 2018 World Cup.

Ahmed Musa then cracked a shot off the bar before scoring his second moments later, with a superb run down the left before rounding the keeper.

Iceland had a big chance to set up a frantic final 10 minutes.

Nigeria substitute Tyronne Ebuehi made a daft tackle on Alfred Finnbogason, tripping the Iceland striker as he went away from goal in the area.

The referee missed it at first as Iceland appealed before finally sending it to VAR, watching it on the monitor at the side of the pitch and duly awarding a penalty.

Gylfi Sigurdsson stepped up…and sent it over the bar.

Full Time: Nigeria 2-0 Iceland

Didier Drogba: Phoenix Rising and former Ivory Coast striker on BBC One said:

Ahmed Musa’s first is a beautiful goal – the difficulty makes it more beautiful. Wow.

Danny Murphy: Former England midfielder on BBC One said:

Victor Moses was great in that second half – he deserves credit. But it’s a thoroughly deserved win.

All six of Nigeria’s wins at the World Cup have come against European opposition, and they have kept a clean sheet in five of those six victories.

This was Iceland’s first ever defeat in a group stage match at a major international tournament (Euros and World Cup), having previously drawn three and won one of four such games.

Nigerian attacker Ahmed Musa is now his country’s all-time top scorer in World Cup games with four goals. Only Asamoah Gyan (6 goals for Ghana) and Roger Milla (5 for Cameroon) have scored more for an African nation.
Nigeria’s Francis Uzoho is the second youngest goalkeeper to keep a clean sheet in a World Cup match (19 years, 237 days), behind only Li Chan-Myong in North Korea’s 1-0 win over Italy in July 1966 (19 years, 198 days).

Next Group D matches are very tasty.

Nigeria play Argentina and Iceland face Croatia, both kicking off at 19:00 BST on Tuesday.

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