Nigeria’s Etebo scores the own goal
Real Madrid’s Luka Modric 71st penalty kick for Croatia and Stoke City’s Oghenekaro Etebo’s own goal against Nigeria separated the two teams in a a poor Group D match in Kaliningrad. Except Nigeria braces up in their next game and show some spark in the defence, midfield and forward, they may as well bid the game bye-bye. Their performance was disappointing to say the least.
With this victory Croatia top their group, followed by Argentina and Iceland, which played a 1-1 draw earlier in the day, with Lionel Messi missing a penalty.
Match Fact file By BBC
- Croatia have won their opening game of a World Cup for the first time since their debut in the competition in 1998 (3-1 vs Jamaica).
- Nigeria have lost each of their last seven World Cup games when conceding the first goal.
- Croatia have now won both of their World Cup meetings with African opponents, by an aggregate score of 6-0.
- Croatia have scored in each of their last five World Cup games, their longest scoring streak in the competition.
- Nigeria have lost their last three World Cup games, their longest run since a run of four between 1998 and 2002.
- Croatia’s opening goals at each of the last two World Cups have been own goals -Marcelo in 2014 (Brazil) and Oghenekaro Etebo.
- Nigeria became the first team in World Cup history to concede two consecutive own goals in the competition, with their last goal shipped in 2014 also coming in this manner.
