Argentina...OMG

[nocoincidences]

What a disaster!

1-1 against Iceland, Messi was a mess, they could just never seem to get it together.

Lordy.

[mikeargo]

1. Wow

How does this rank for all-time World Cup upsets?

[Ron Obvious]

3. Not all that high in my opinion

This is a good Iceland side -- they won their group ahead of fellow Group C Croatia and they drew Portugal, and eliminated England and Holland in the past.

[Ron Obvious]

2. Solid performance by Iceland I thought

They're really hard to break down. Argentina tried and didn't do too badly (unlike, say, France earlier). The penalty that Messi missed should not have been awarded, while they had a much stronger case later which wasn't awarded so that evens out.

The Icelandic keeper had a very good game too.

Good game in a wide open group.

[T_i_B]

4. Generally agree

Certainly a better game than France v Australia.

I thought the penalty that was given was the correct decision. And the one that wasn't given should have been.

[T_i_B]

5. Argentina 0 - Croatia 3!!!!!

Croatia played really well, Argentina played really badly.

Messi and Aguero hardly had a look in. Croatia's first goal came courtesy of a comedy goalkeeping error, and Modric's goal was a cracker!

[Ron Obvious]

6. Game of the tournament so far

That Modric goal was terrific, but even that first goal with the comedy goalkeeping still required a really excellent finish.

Iceland now will have a real chance to go through if they can get past Nigeria. It's too early to tell about that one at the moment.

Update: Neymar is now my least favourite player. Rarely have I felt the primitive desire to kick someone's face in as when he was was praying and weeping at the end of the Costa Rica game. Odious creature who makes even Ronaldo look likeable in comparison. How on earth he didn't get booked for that comedy dive on the VAR-reversed penalty is beyond me.

Also, Ronaldo is actually good.

[T_i_B]

7. Nigeria beat Iceland 2-0

Croatia are through, but everything else is all to play for in that group. Nigeria looked pretty good today!

I still think Portugal v Spain has been the game of the tournament so far though. Even with my very typically English inclinations against the Argentine football team!

[Ron Obvious]

8. Iceland hanging on by a thread...

They'd have to beat the Croats by 3 goals and hope for a Nigeria - Argentina draw. I don't see it happening.

It was a pure pleasure to see Maradonna looking crestfallen in the stands and using that same hand to rub his eyes. I still detest that cheating, whingeing git.

[T_i_B]

9. Bugger.....

Argentina beat Nigeria 2-1 and go through.

[sandensea]

10. The team was practically forced to mutiny against the manager, Sampaoli

Sampaoli had made one controversial pick after another - particularly that of the goalie, Caballero, whom he put in to replace an injured Romero against almost universal advice to put in Armani instead.

Accordingly, these picks are now being vetted by none other than Messi himself.

Sampaoli himself was a controversial choice as manager, even before this World Cup.

He was named by the new Argentine Football Association head Claudio Tapia - who was himself installed by Boca Juniors CEO Daniel Angelici, a longtime business partner and close friend of President Mauricio Macri.

Politics and football don't mix - least of all in Argentina.