On paper, Nigeria will have its easiest competition of the World Cup group stage on Friday, June 22nd at 11am in Volgograd Stadium in Russia when they face Iceland. However, as Argentina and any team from the Euro 2016 tournament will tell you, Iceland is not a team to be taken lightly. Not only did they pull of a spectacular 1-1 tie against La Seleccion in their first World Cup game, they also had a miracle run through qualifying for the 2018 World Cup with a 7-2-1 record, beating fellow 2108 World Cup Group D member Croatia in the process. This game will mark the first time these two teams have ever played each other. According to our World Cup betting odds, Nigeria is the favorite.
Nigeria
Nigeria had a rough go in their first game against Croatia, but they are still an up and coming group who possess some young talents that are eager to display their abilities on the world stage. Alex Iwobi, Victor Moses, Wilfred Ndidi, and Kelechi Iheanacho all play key roles for their respective teams in the Premier League.
However, in their first game against Croatia, they looked discombobulated and lost at times, and never really found their groove. They will be hoping to find it in this game. If not, it more or less spells an exit for this team, which would be a shame considering how much promising talent is on their roster. This is Nigeria's sixth appearance in the last seven World Cups. Their best showing ever was a trip to the round of 16, which they made in 2014, 1994 and 1998.
Iceland
With their last 1-1 tie against Argentina in the first game of the 2018 World Cup, Iceland continues to live out a fairly tale of a run over the last 3 years. Having never made an appearance in any major soccer tournament before 2016, they reached the quarterfinals of the Euro Cup and secured a berth for the World Cup this year, becoming the smallest nation in history to do so. They have tremendous support from their fan base, who have come in masses to support them in Russia. Back in Iceland, it was reported by the national broadcasting service that 99.6% of the country's population was watching the game against Argentina on TV. While they may not be a serious contender for the Word Cup, they now have at least a shot at advancing past the group stage. Featuring some capable players in the Midfield and a stifling defense, they should not be taken lightly. Captain Aron Gunnarsson leads a team that plays an exceptionally tight game, and star scorer Gylfi Sigurdsson has been known to score timely goals.
Match Overview
Nigeria has a collection of young, talented forwards who are eager to advance their country past the group stage of the World Cup for the second time in a row. However, Iceland is no easy draw. They may not have the talent and the firepower of the Nigerians, but they are an extremely hard-working and tight knit group. Every player has bought in to Manager Heimir Hallgrimsson's system. Still, one of the main keys to success that Iceland has had over the last couple of years is its surprise factor, which by now should be wearing off. No team is taking them lightly, and once has to think that a prepared, determined Nigerian squad can still win this game if they play their cards right.
