Saturday June 16th

Group C

French assistance

France 2 Australia 1 (Kazan)
France overcame Australia 2-1 with the help of video technology in Kazan. After a relatively uneventful first half, the crowd was given something to talk about in the 54th minute when Griezmann picked up a through ball and was dispossessed with a tackle just inside the box. Initially the referee allowed play to continue, but after viewing his monitor on the sideline pointed to the spot from which Griezmann smashed the ball in for the first ever VAR penalty awarded in a World Cup. There was no need for VAR in the 61st minute when the referee awarded Australia a penalty for handball and Mile Jedinak rolled the ball past Loris. After some good interplay in the 80th minute, Paul Pogba stretched a foot to deflect the ball past the keeper and over the line via the crossbar and France celebrated as goal-line technology confirmed the goal.

Group D

Hand of cod holds Argentina

Argentina 1 Iceland 1 (Moscow)

Hannes Halldorsson saved a Messi penalty as Iceland held Argentina to a 1-1 draw in their first ever World Cup match. In the 19th minute Aguero received the ball in the box, turned and dispatched it into to top corner, but 4 minutes later Argentina failed to clear a low cross and Alfred Finnbogason sidefooted the leveller from 6 yards out. Argentina were awarded a penalty in the 63rd minute, but Halldorsson dived to his right to deny Messi and the Icelandic keeper got down quickly in the 85th minute to push away an elusive inswinging low cross to ensure the smallest nation ever to qualify for a World Cup earned a point in their first match.

Group C

Peru rue penalty miss

Denmark 1 Peru 0 (Saransk)

Denmark picked up 3 points after a Peruvian penalty miss in the first half in a group C match in Saransk. In the 13th minute Carrillo curled a low ball to the far corner which Schmeichel got down to parry and just before the break Peru were awarded a penalty with the help of VAR, but Cueva skyed the ball over the bar and into the crowd. In the 59th minute Eriksen found Yussuf Poulsen who slotted the ball in at the near post. Two minutes later Schmeichel kept out an effort from Flores and in the 79th minute a backheel from Guerrero went agonisingly wide while in the 84th minute the Danes cleared off the line and moments later at the other end Gallese made himself big in the Peru goal to block the advancing Eriksen's effort with his shoulder.

Group D

Croatia comfortable

Croatia 2 Nigeria 0 (Kaliningrad)

An own goal and a penalty gave Croatia a 2-0 win over a disappointing Nigeria in Kaliningrad. A corner in the 32nd minute was headed onto the diving head of Mandzukic and in off a Nigerian player to open the scoring for Croatia who should have doubled their lead in the 56th minute when Rebic ran onto a cross but missed the target from close range. Luka Modric found the bottom left corner of the net from the penalty spot in the 70th minute with the keeper moving in the wrong direction and Croatia were home and dry.