Source: 30dB.com – Iceland-and-World%20Cup
As the smallest country to ever qualify for the World Cup, the odds are stacked against Iceland, which made the 23rd-minute goal by Alfred Finnbogason all the more impressive. Argentina had a chance to win the game outright with a penalty kick by superstar Lionel Messi, but goalkeeper Hannes Halldorsson managed to put a stop to that and preserve a point for playing to a draw. Iceland’s path to the Round of 16 is far from a done deal, though. It has two matchups left in Group D—one with Croatia, which is ranked higher in the FIFA men’s standings, and one with a more beatable Nigeria. The top two teams from Group D will ultimately advance. One thing the Icelandic team has going for it is an incredibly loyal fan base: More than 99 percent of people in Iceland who had their TVs turned on during their home country’s World Cup debut were, in fact, watching the game, according to the Football Association of Iceland’s Twitter account. Social is on board as well, and over the past three days, “Iceland + World Cup” has a 69 percent positive score. –Alex Shultz
Republished from 30dB