Iceland 1-2 Croatia: Modric and co. top Group D with 3 victories to face Denmark

Ivan Perisic scored injury-time winner as Croatia top Group D with all three victories to face Denmark.

2018 World Cup

1-2

Match Events

30' CHANCE! Sigurdsson's shot saved

CHANCE ICELAND! 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.

40' CLOSE! Finnbogason's shot wide out

GREAT CHANCE! Iceland go close to opening the scoring, as Finnbogason fires an effort towards goal from 30 yards out, which whistles narrowly past the Croatia goal, rippling the side netting. Best opportunity of the game so far.

46' GREAT SAVE! Gunnarsson's shot saved by Kalinic

SAVE! Gunnarsson fires a curling effort towards goal after excellent build-up play by Iceland. Kalinic makes a superb diving save to deny the Iceland skipper, tipping the ball around the post and out for a corner.

51' CLOSE! Badelj's shot off the bar

OFF THE CROSSBAR! Great strike by Badelj which takes a slight deflection off Ragnar Sigurdsson as it strikes the crossbar and goes out for a corner. Wonderful strike.

53' GOAL! Iceland 0-1 Croatia (M. Badelj)

GOALLL! Croatia lead 1-0! Badelj who went close just moments ago, now gets the ball in the back of the net. 

Modric moves the ball out to the left, it's crossed into the middle where Badelj takes it on the bounce and fires it on the half-volley, powering it into the back of the net and leaving Halldorsson with no chance.

55' CLOSE! Ingason's header off the bar

CLOSE! Almost an immediate response from Iceland. Ingason came up from the back for another long throw-in, he gets his head to the ball and it needs pushing over the bar by Kalinic.

76' Penalty Goal! Iceland 1-1 Croatia (Sigurðsson)

ICELAND PENALTY! The referee has awarded Iceland a penalty after the ball strikes Lovren's arm, following a cross into the box by Bjarnason. Sigurdsson to take...

GOALLL! Iceland are level, it's 1-1! Gylfi Sigurðsson powers the ball straight into the back of the net, giving Kalinic no chance. 

The Everton man picked up the ball straight away, despite missing a penalty for Iceland in the previous game against Nigeria.

90' GOAL! Iceland 1-2 Croatia (Perisic)

GOALLL! CROATIA LEAD 2-1! Perisic with a late goal to surely win it for Croatia. They worked it well, with Perisic powering the ball into the back of the net from a tight angle, giving the keeper no chance. Excellent finish.

Match Report

Ivan Perisic's late goal ensured Croatia topped World Cup Group D with maximum points as they knocked out a resilient Iceland with a 2-1 win in Rostov-on-Don.

Gylfi Sigurdsson's 76th-minute penalty gave Iceland hope of mounting a comeback following Milan Badelj's opener, but Perisic made sure of the points for Croatia in the dying embers.

Croatia will now meet Denmark in the round of 16 in Nizhny Novgorod on Sunday, while Iceland's maiden appearance at a World Cup comes to an end despite their best efforts to turn the game around.

Badelj - who had previously rattled the woodwork - marked his first start of the tournament with a thumping 53rd-minute opener.

Sverrir Ingason rattled the bar with a header in response for Iceland, but the only way they could beat Croatia goalkeeper Lovre Kalinic on his superb World Cup bow came from the spot.

Sigurdsson missed a penalty in Iceland's defeat to Nigeria on matchday two, but made no mistake this time with a finish high into the net after Dejan Lovren had handled in the area.

But Iceland's fighting spirit ultimately proved for nothing, Perisic securing a third successive win for Croatia, who will be joined in the last 16 by Argentina following their dramatic win over Nigeria.

Line-ups

Iceland XI: Ragnar Sigurdsson, Birkir Bjarnason, Hannes Thór Halldórsson, Birkir Már Saevarsson, Emil Hallfredsson, Aron Gunnarsson, Alfred Finnbogason, Johann Berg Gudmundsson, Gylfi Sigurdsson, Hördur Björgvin Magnússon, Sverrir Ingi Ingason

Subs: Rúrik Gíslason, Ó. Skúlason, Ari Freyr Skúlason, Hólmar Örn Eyjólfsson, Björn Sigurdarson, Kári Árnason, Jón Dadi Bödvarsson, Arnór Ingvi Traustason, Rúnar Alex Rúnarsson, Albert Gudmundsson, F. Schram, Samúel Kári Fridjónsson

Croatia XI: Luka Modric, Ivan Perisic, Vedran Corluka, Josip Pivaric, Andrej Kramaric, Milan Badelj, Lovre Kalinic, Mateo Kovacic, Marko Pjaca, Tin Jedvaj, Duje Caleta-Car

Subs: Ivan Rakitic, Mario Mandzukic, Domagoj Vida, Danijel Subasic, Ivan Strinic, Dejan Lovren, Sime Vrsaljko, Marcelo Brozovic, Ante Rebic, Dominik Livakovic, Filip Bradaric