Cristiano Ronaldo set the bar with a hat-trick for Portugal against Spain on Friday night, but his rival Lionel Messi struggled to reach it on a frustrating afternoon for Argentina, who could only draw World Cup debutants Iceland.
He missed a second-half penalty after Alfred Finnbogason’s equaliser for the European minnows. Sergio Agüero had opened the scoring, but it wasn’t to be his day either.
Here are four talking points from the Otkrytie Stadium.
Sergio Agüero proved a point with his first World Cup goal, but Lionel Messi stole the headlines for the wrong reasons
The idea that some players fail to produce their club form on the international stage is nothing new, but there aren´t many criticised for it more than Agüero. The striker became Manchester City´s all time top goalscorer last season, on the way to helping them lift a third Premier League title, but after years of inconsistency in the blue and white of Argentina, he headed to Russia with a point to prove. La Albliceleste may have got to the final in Brazil four years ago, but Agüero had not scored in eight previous games at the tournament. Mauro Icardi, scorer of 29 Serie A goals for Inter last season, was not selected by boss Jorge Sampaoli, and the City man was picked ahead Juventus pair Paulo Dybala and Gonzalo Higuaín, who were on the bench; the pressure was on.
It didn’t take long for Agüero to break his duck; just 19 minutes in fact. His finish was typical; quick and instinctive with minimal back lift as soon as he controlled the ball, from Marcos Rojo’s shot, inside the box. He hadn’t been involved in the game beforehand. Neither Argentina nor Iceland looked dominant in midfield, which is unlike a Sampaoli side; there was an intensity to the game, but it wasn’t just coming from Argentina. Both sides were better on the counter attack and while Iceland feared Messi early on, they soon grew in confidence and began to push up and close him down. Messi, perhaps the ultimate target for the ‘club vs country‘ critics, had the chance to put the ghost of the penalty he missed in the 2016 Copa America final against Chile, which brought an initial international retirement, to rest, but with the world watching, he saw Hannen Halldorsson make an excellent save.
It didn’t take long for Iceland to make their World Cup mark
At half time, Iceland had only 26% possession, but they still the better chances in their first ever World Cup game. Argentina weren’t making the ball count for them and Messi continued to be crowded out whenever he drifted forward in the centre of the pitch. When he is frustrated, he hunts the ball, and because Iceland were growing in confidence, he was finding himself further and further away from the goal. He did manage to sting the palms of Halldorsson once before the break, but other than that, there weren’t many other chances. It wasn’t hard to see Argentina’s issue, given they had scored fewer goals than Bolivia in qualification.
Everton’s Gylfi Sigurdsson was a constant threat going forward for Iceland, in his slightly withdrawn attacking role, and Finnbogason could have scored even earlier than he did when the Argentina defence gave the ball away. He couldn’t take advantage, shooting wide, but made amends later in the first half, this time punishing the shambolic Argentine backline. There were no surprises in the way Iceland approached the game, having done so in the same way on their road to the quarter finals of Euro 2016; but they were fully deserving of the result as they continued to play with bravery.
Jorge Sampaoli is yet to find the right system for Argentina and he must do so quickly
When Sampaoli took the Argentina job, replacing Edgardo Bauza a year ago, Argentina felt they finally had the man to organise the immense quality that bleeds throughout their squad. Things have not yet worked out that way, though, and the same questions about misusing the power at their disposal remain. Sampaoli is renowned for the power and intensity he injected into the Chile side he managed between 2012 and 2016, and he worked wonders in his one season in Sevilla. As of yet, the formula to gel the quality in this squad into a world class team has eluded him.
Starting with both Javier Mascherano and Lucas Biglia was too negative and the narrow 4-2-3-1 formation did not get the best out of those he selected; least of all Messi, who looked shackled and frustrated in the middle of the pitch throughout. There was no freedom to cut in from the right-hand side, like he gets in his preferred position at Barcelona, while Angel Di Maria had no space to run in behind. Even Agüero, despite his goal, looked lost. Ever Banega came on in the second half, replacing Biglia, and his impact was immediate, driving through the crowded midfield; but ultimately there was no spark, and the frustration of an opening day draw felt inevitable.
Iceland are certainly not in Russia simply to make up the numbers
Even after drawing with eventual winners Portugal, beating England and giving hosts France a scare before defeat at Euro 2016, once Iceland were drawn in a group with Argentina, Croatia and Nigeria, three nations full of international quality, they were instantly written off. The country’s population is smaller than that of Stoke-on-Trent, o just getting to the World Cup is an immense achievement.
But they have become a real fan’s favourite over the past couple of years; the way they kept Messi quiet and got themselves back in the game, ensures they will get a few more. Croatia and Nigeria simply cannot underestimate them, while Argentina must step up, with two tough games on the horizon
