The Rostov Arena will host the live match Croatia vs Iceland, which you can watch live on Tuesday, June 26, starting at 1 pm for the third round of Group D of the World Cup Russia 2018. The match will be broadcast on Latina and DirecTV Sports.
Iceland faces its last chance to extend its stay in Russia 2018 against the group leader, Croatia, already classified and with its mind set on the round of 16.
The role in a World Cup debut can be extended for the Icelandic team, pending the outcome of the other match in the group, which will face Nigeria and Argentina in St. Petersburg. Everyone has options, although only the African team depends on its own result.
Croatia vs Iceland | Lineups
Croatia: Lovre Kalinic, Tin Jedvaj, Lovren, Duje Caleta-Car, Pivaric, Rebic, Kovacic, Kramaric, Brozovic, Nicola Kalinic and Pjaca.
Iceland: Hannes Halldorsson; Birkir Saevarsson, Kari Arnason, Sverrir Ingason, Hordor Magnusson; Rurik Gislason, Gylfi Sigurdsson, Aron Gunnarsson, Birkir Bjarnason; Jon Bödvarsson and Alfred Finnbogason.
Croatia vs Iceland | Preview
The team managed by Heimir Hallgrímsson earned its first point in a World Cup in the match against the Argentine team, on the first matchday, but declined in the next, overtaken by Nigeria.
Iceland intends to extend the love affair with high competition that it achieved in the last European Championship, where it reached the quarterfinals. Before that, Hallgrimsson must pull off the game against Croatia. The Icelandic team trusts in taking advantage of their opponent's relaxation, already classified and without a clear objective on the field.
Therefore, they will seek their first victory in a World Cup, with an extra prize. A possible place among the sixteen best in the tournament. The Iceland coach does not expect any changes to the team, relying on the squad that has brought them to Russia and the players who have held their own in the previous two matches of the competition.
Coincidentally, Iceland finished ahead of Croatia in the qualifying phase for this tournament. In fact, the last match between the two ended with the Icelandic victory with a goal in the last minute.
The Croatian national team approaches the match as a reward for its players, with the job already done and as a judge of the definitive outcome of the group.
The Balkan team insists on highlighting the professionalism of its squad, who do not intend to give anything away to the opponent and, therefore, cause harm to others.
Even so, Zlatko Dalic has already announced that he will not put all his potential on the field. In fact, he intends not to count on most of the players who have received a yellow card in the previous matches to avoid any setbacks in the knockout rounds.
Six of their players have been cautioned in the previous matches of the tournament. Against Nigeria, Ivan Rakitic and Marcelo Brozovic were shown a yellow card. Against Argentina, Sime Vrsaljko, Mario Mandzukic, Ante Rebic and Vedran Corluka were cautioned. Several of them, if not all, will not step onto the field of the Rostov Arena.
In the same way, Dalic may give Luka Modric a rest. The Real Madrid midfielder, one of the sensations of the World Cup, is crucial in the Croatian team and his coach intends for him to maintain freshness for the key moments. He does not plan to take any risks.
Lovre Kalinic may also have his chance. The goalkeeper from Gent, in the shadow of Danijel Subasic, hinted that he could be on the field of the Rostov Arena.