Messi misses penalty, Iceland holds Argentina to 1-1 draw

MOSCOW - Lionel Messi missed yet another penalty kick and Iceland held on for a 1-1 draw against Argentina in an impressive World Cup debut on Saturday.

Messi failed to give his team the lead when his 64th-minute penalty was stopped by Hannes Halldorsson. The Iceland goalkeeper dived to his right and got two hands behind the ball.

It was Messi's fourth missed penalty in his last seven attempts for Argentina and Barcelona.

The Argentines took the lead in the 19th minute when Sergio Aguero scored with a rising left-footed shot. Alfred Finnbogason equalized for Iceland four minutes later after Argentina goalkeeper Willy Caballero pushed a low cross into the forward's path.

The penalty was awarded after Aguero was pushed in the back by Hordur Magnusson as both chased Messi's floated cross in the 63rd.

The small Nordic island nation's team created several first-half chances despite having only 22 percent possession, and pushed back Argentina's waves of second-half attacks.

Messi had a final chance to redeem his team with the final kick of the game, but his free kick from 25 yards failed to clear a solid Iceland defensive wall.

At the end, Messi retreated alone into the center circle with his head bowed and hands on his knees.

Iceland played its debut on soccer's biggest stage like it belonged alongside the 2014 runners-up. Before trailing, Iceland could have taken the lead but Birkir Bjarnason side-footed a shot wide of goal when Caballero was exposed.

That chance came in a nervous ninth minute for Argentina's defense, which seemed unsettled by Iceland's strength and their own unease with loose balls in the penalty area.

No Iceland defender was at fault for failing to stop Aguero's goal. The forward executed a classy spin move to create his chance when a miscued shot by Marcos Rojo arrived at his feet near the penalty spot.

It was a finish worthy of Argentina great Diego Maradona, who was watching in the VIP section at Spartak Stadium. The FIFA ambassador was puffing a large cigar despite smoking being banned in all World Cup venues.

FRANCE 2

AUSTRALIA 1

KAZAN, Russia - Technology twice helped France at the World Cup on Saturday in its 2-1 victory over Australia in Group C.

The French team was given a penalty kick, eventually converted by Antoine Griezmann in the 58th minute, after the referee watched the replay of a foul on the sideline.

Paul Pogba later scored the winning goal in the 81st minute, and goal-line technology was used to confirm the ball had crossed the line after bouncing down off the crossbar.

Australia captain Mile Jedinak had briefly equalized for Australia from the penalty spot in the 62nd after Samuel Umtiti handled the ball in the area.

DENMARK 1

PERU 0

SARANSK, Russia - Kasper Schmeichel's slew of saves made Yussuf Poulsen's opportunistic second-half goal stand up in a 1-0 victory over Peru on Saturday at the World Cup.

The victory gave Denmark a crucial advantage in Group C, in which France defeated Australia 2-1 earlier in the day.

Poulsen squeezed his goal between charging Peru goalkeeper Pedro Gallese and the left post in the 59th minute after collecting an accurate pass from midfielder Christian Eriksen.

Appearing at the World Cup for the first time in 36 years, Peru had overwhelming fan support in the Mordovia Arena and the bulk of scoring chances, including a late first-half penalty shot that Christian Cueva sent sailing over the cross bar.

Peru striker Paolo Guerrero made his much anticipated appearance as a substitute with about 30 minutes to go and had two scoring chances, one on a header and one on a clever back-heel that rolled just wide.

CROATIA 2

NIGERIA 0

KALININGRAD, Russia - Luka Modric set up one goal and scored another from the penalty spot Saturday to give Croatia a 2-0 win over Nigeria at the World Cup.

The Real Madrid midfielder sent in a corner that was headed by two Croatians and then deflected into the net by Nigeria midfielder Oghenekaro Etebo in the 32nd minute.

Modric then converted a penalty in the 71st after William Ekong held onto Mario Mandzukic.

It was the fifth penalty awarded in four World Cup matches on Saturday.

The win takes Croatia to the top of Group D with three points. Earlier, Iceland held Argentina to a 1-1 draw.

From wire reports