Iceland players and coaches maintained that they weren’t afraid of the World Cup stage or playing against Lionel Messi and Argentina. Then they went out and showed it.

Iceland held Argentina to a 1-1 draw in Moscow, with Hannes Thor Halldorsson saving a Messi penalty kick just after the hour mark to preserve the draw. Sergio Aguero had opened the scoring in the 19th minute, but it was answered four minutes later by Alfred Finnbogason, with the teams splitting the point in a deep Group D.

Argentina got its breakthrough when through Marcos Rojo‘s speculative chance from long range wound up being defended and falling right to Aguero, who took a touch, turned and fired from inside the box to give Argentina a 1-0 lead.

Just when it looked like Argentina would enforce its will even more, Iceland equalized. A sloppy sequence in the back from Cabellero allowed for Finnbogason to fire home off a rebound from close range, making it 1-1 in the 23rd minute.

The second half was rather cagey until Argentina earned a penalty just after the hour mark. Messi chipped the ball forward and Ragnar Sigurdsson was guilty of chipping down his mark. But Messi’s penalty was saved by Halldorsson, preserving the 1-1 scoreline.

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Highlights Argentina 1:1 Iceland June 16 2018

  Argentina, FIFA World Cup, FIFA World cup 2018, higlights, Iceland