Nigeria Coach Gernot Rohr Lashes His Defense

Croatia eased to a 2-0 Group D win in Kaliningrad, leaving Nigeria coach Gernot Rohr unimpressed with his team's defending.

Gernot Rohr said defensive naivety from set-pieces was to blame as Nigeria's World Cup opener ended in a 2-0 loss to Croatia.

Oghenekaro Etebo's own goal from a Luka Modric corner gave Croatia a first-half lead, with the Real Madrid midfielder making sure his side top Group D by converting a spot-kick after the interval.

William Troost-Ekong needlessly brought down Mario Mandzukic while defending another corner to hand Croatia a penalty that wrapped up the game.

Nigeria's lack of creativity was evident, but Croatia did not record a shot on target from open play until second-half stoppage-time, leaving Rohr in no doubt what went wrong for Nigeria in Kaliningrad.

"We are disappointed because we don't like to lose but we must recognise Croatia had the better team," the Nigeria coach told a post-match media conference. 

"My young team made some mistakes from corners, we worked from them so much but both goals came from corners, which I find a little bit… There were also so many fouls in the other box that could have been penalties but we have to accept the defeat.

"Of course you are not satisfied with the attack when you do not score, we were satisfied with our defensive organisation but we didn't have so many opportunities to score.

"I think the organisation was OK, we didn't concede in open play. We conceded twice in set-pieces so it is not a question of tactics or system.

"I was satisfied with the organisation but we need to be more professional from set-pieces."

Nigeria face Group D giants Argentina in their final fixture, Lionel Messi having missed a penalty in a 1-1 draw against World Cup debutants in Moscow earlier on Saturday.

And although Nigeria's task now looks tough Rohr is not giving up hope of leading his side into the knockout stages of the tournament, with Iceland up next for the Super Eagles.

"It's important to make at least four points if you want to qualify," Rohr added. 

"We are only a point behind for the moment,nothing is lost and all is in our hands.

"Let's be positive, we have the youngest team at the World Cup, let them learn and try to do better.

"We saw Iceland have a good game against Argentina, a very strong team, but we can also do better than what we did today.

"We have to win against Iceland but all is possible still. If we win the next game all is possible for qualification."

Mesut Ozil Will Surely Deliver Says Draxler

Julian Draxler believes Mesut Ozil will be one of the most important players for Germany at the World Cup, despite uncertainty around his starting place.

Ozil had an inconsistent season for Arsenal in 2017-18 as the 'Gunners' again finished outside of the top four in the Premier League.

The 29-year-old midfielder, who has played 90 times for the national team, isn't certain of a starting spot for Germany, but PSG midfielder Draxler believes Ozil is one of squad's most creative players.

"All the noise about Mesut [Ozil] being subdued and not up to his best is not true and has been way over the top," Draxler said.

"The debate about his body language has been raging for a couple of years but he is an exceptional player.

"He has technical abilities that are unparalleled.He's probably our most creative player. He will be there when we need him and he will deliver."

Germany has an excellent recent record at major tournaments and Draxler wants his team to continue that run against Mexico.

"Mexico has never defeated Germany. It's a new tournament and history doesn't matter, but we hope that we will hold up tradition, and Mexico won't defeat us," he added.

The holders and four-time World Cup winners face Mexico in Moscow Sunday before they playSweden and South Korea in their other Group F matches.

Sergio Aguero Stood Up For Messi "Messi Is Human "

Sergio Aguero has stood up for teammate Leo Messi, after the Argentinian wizard missed a penalty in the clash against Iceland.

Striker Sergio Aguero was quick to jump to Lionel Messi's defence after his penalty miss cost Argentina the chance to make a winning start to the World Cup. 

Aguero opened the scoring in Argentina's Group D1-1 draw against Iceland in Moscow on Saturday before Alfred Finnbogason hit back with Iceland's first World Cup goal.

It was also Aguero's maiden strike at the tournament, but Argentina could not claim all three points, Messi seeing a second-half penalty savedby Hannes Thor Halldorsson.

Messi had 11 shots without scoring - setting a new Argentina record for the World Cup - and was dejected at the final whistle.

A Messi hat-trick in a qualifier against Ecuador booked Argentina's place at Russia 2018 and Aguero offered his support to his fellow forward.

"Leo is normal, he is human," the Manchester City striker told 'TyC Sports'. "Today we have to be with him, we know that at any moment he can define a match.

"The first match is always difficult. Argentina want to win against everyone.

"I hope that the Croatia game can be better."

Javier Mascherano indicated Iceland's defensive tactics caused problems for Jorge Sampaoli's side.

"It's not the best feeling," Argentina's record appearance holder said. "We wanted to win, we tried everything and we could not. It's never easy to play the first game, but you have to keep going.

"This is just beginning, it's not allowed to fall, but it has not been our day.

"We knew of the difficulty with a rival who defends with people back, very close.

"We made it all uphill, we thank the fans and we ask them to continue supporting us. We are going to need them."

What We Observed From Saturdays World Cup 2018

On an action-packed day in Russia, Lionel Messi saw his penalty saved as Iceland earned a draw in their first ever World Cup match.

Fancied France made a winning start but needed the help of technology while Peru could not take advantage of the Video Assistant Referee system.

Iceland belong at football's top table

Iceland made a splash at Euro 2016 by beating England and progressing to the quarter-finals.

The minnows are ranked 22nd in the world but few expected Heimir Hallgrimsson's side to tame two-times former champions Argentina in their debut World Cup outing.

Alfred Finnbogason cancelled out Sergio Aguero's opening goal in the first half and in the second period Hannes Halldorsson made himself an instant hero, saving Messi's spot-kick.

Iceland have games against Nigeria and Croatia to come in Group D. It would take a brave man to bet against them qualifying for the knockout stages.

VAR makes its mark

France failed to impress in squeezing past Australia 2-1, needing the helping hand of the VAR system in Kazan.

Antoine Griezmann was awarded a penalty that he converted after referee Andres Cunha had initially waved away protests when he fell under a challenge from Joshua Risdon.

VAR was not needed to spot Samuel Umtiti's blatant handball moments later, which handed Australia an equaliser from the penalty spot.

Late on, Paul Pogba's deflected effort clipped the underside of the bar and crossed the line by the finest of margins, confirmed by goal-line technology.

Peru's passion falls short

VAR also resulted in a penalty for Peru against Denmark but Christian Cueva blazed over, missing the chance to register La Blanquirroja's first World Cup goal since 1982 and the South Americans were punished for that miss when Yussuf Poulsen struck the only goal of the game early in the second-half.

Having waited 36 years for a return to the World Cup, the tens of thousands of Peru fans who have travelled halfway round the world have brought a passion to the tournament lacking in some parts of the host nation.

Peru's players besieged the Denmark goal in search of an equaliser but a combination of some great goalkeeping by Kasper Schmeichel, heroic defending and wayward finishing condemned them to defeat.

We Yet To Experience Brazil and Germany Showcase What They Have For Us This World Cup

Brazil star Neymar will make his World Cup bow on Sunday as the five-time champions kick off quest for redemption while holders Germany launch their bid for back-to-back titles.

Four years after injury cut short his World Cup, before Brazil suffered a humiliating 7-1 semi-final defeat to Germany, Neymar is once again spearheading his country's hopes.

The Paris Saint-Germain striker's participation at the finals in Russia had been cast into doubt after he suffered a fractured right foot in late February.

However the 26-year-old forward has shown little signs of rust since returning for Brazil, scoring in consecutive friendlies on the eve of the finals.

That could spell trouble for Switzerland as they take on Brazil in Group E on Sunday.

Brazil coach Tite, who masterminded a dominant qualifying campaign which saw the "Selecao" finish10 points clear of their rivals, said Neymar was "not 100 percent".

"But he has exceptional physical qualities, his speed in particular. In any case, he is in a suitable state to play," Tite said.

Neymar is the focal point of one of the most menacing attacks in the tournament, and could line up in a front four which includes Gabriel Jesus, Philippe Coutinho and Willian.

Switzerland meanwhile have regularly shown they are capable of punching above their weight, having only narrowly missed out on automatic qualification to Russia on goal difference behind Portugal.

Since securing their place via the playoffs, they have held Spain to a 1-1 draw and thrashed World Cup debutants Panama 6-0 in friendlies.

The Swiss also have pedigree in opening World Cup games, beating eventual champions Spain in their opener of the 2010 World Cup.  

Brazil meet Switzerland in the newly-built 45,000 Rostov Arena in Sunday's evening game but before that Germany play Mexico in a mouth-watering tie in Moscow's Luzhniki Stadium.

Germany breezed through qualifying scoring 43 goals and conceding just four and, astonishingly, average almost four goals a game in their opening World Cup matches since last losing their first tournament game in 1982 against Algeria.

Coach Joachim Loew has, like the Brazilians,transformed the team from 2014 to the extent that the man who scored the World Cup winning goal in Rio, Mario Goetze, is not in the squad.

A young German side last year won the Confederations Cup in Russia, thumping Mexico 4-1 along the way.

Mexico though only lost one game in qualifying and have always qualified for at least the second round of every World Cup they have played. They have not beaten Germany though in three attempts at various World cups.

Germany are attempting to become only the third side in the World Cup's 88-year history to successfully defend their title, after Italy (1934-1938) and Brazil (1958-1962).

The magnitude of that task is not lost on Loew.

"It's the most difficult feat and history has demonstrated that, no one in 60 years has done it," Loew said on Saturday.

"Teams develop and change, players finish their careers and you must bring in new players which makes it the most difficult achievement."

Sunday's first game sees the 2014 World Cup'smost surprising team Costa Rica take on Serbia in Samara.

The Central Americans topped a group including Uruguay, Italy and England last time to reach the quarter-finals, and this time are in Brazil's group.

Their pedigree may be good but their form is not and they have lost to Belgium and England in the run-up to Russia.

For Serbia, this year's tournament marks their first World Cup appearance since 2010 and are in good spirits having warmed up with a 5-1 win over Bolivia.

5 Players To Watch Out For This World Cup

Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo and Neymar are all aiming to leave an indelible mark on the World Cup but with billions watching, it is the perfect stage for a new generation to showcase their talents.

Hirving Lozano (Mexico)

Temperamental but extremely gifted, Hirving Lozano followed in the footsteps of a number of Latin American stars by swapping home for an introductory taste of European football in the Netherlands. He hit 17 goals in 29 games in his debut season abroad as PSV Eindhoven won the Dutch title and has drawn comparisons with Luis Suarez -- both for his ability and disposition -- while placing Europe's bigger clubs on alert. He has a knack for the spectacular, scoring the winner for Pachuca minutes into his professional debut, while needing just half an hour to find the net for PSV. At 22, the hope is "Chucky" will mature given time, with Mexico coach Juan Carlos Osorio counting on him to sparkle.

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Goncalo Guedes (Portugal)

Offloaded to Valencia on loan after finding himself stuck behind a queue of talent at Paris Saint-Germain, Goncalo Guedes played just one minute of Portugal's qualifying campaign. After a frustrating yet brief spell in France, a brilliant start with his new club in La Liga thrust him back into the national team spotlight. The 21-year-old scored five goals and laid on 11 assists to help Valencia earn a place in the Champions League, and struck twice in his country's final World Cup warm-up match against Algeria to further advance his case for a starting berth in Russia. Powerful and capable of slashing through defences, whether by dribbling or passing, Guedes could leave PSG with a fight on their hands to keep hold of a talent whose potential is far from fulfilled.

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Timo Werner (Germany)

Regarded as the heir to Germany's record goalscorer Miroslav Klose, Timo Werner already boasts vast Bundesliga experience and a tendency to deliver on the big occasions. The 22-year-old was the top scorer at last year's Confederations Cup, won by Germany, and a return of seven goals in 12 appearances since his international debut in March 2017 suggests he will be a mainstay in the national team for the next decade. Armed with searing pace -- he was clocked running 100 metres in 11.1 seconds -- the RB Leipzig forward is a constant threat on the counter and thrives by hanging on the shoulder of the last defender. A deep run by Germany in Russia could set Werner up for a shot at the tournament's golden boot.

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Sardar Azmoun (Iran)

Sardar Azmoun has been piling up the international goals for an Iran squad that has regularly superseded expectations. With 23 international goals in just 32 games, the 23-year-old is already fifth on Iran's list of all-time leading scorers. Azmoun was a standout volleyball player as a teenager before concentrating solely on football, and uses his athleticism and acceleration to great effect. He was snapped up by Rubin Kazan in 2013 and while Arsenal and Liverpool have reportedly showed interest in the past, he remains in Russia. He will team up with Alireza Jahanbakhsh, who became the first Asian to finish as the Dutch league's top scorer this season, as Iran try to punch above their weight in a section featuring Portugal and Spain.

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Hakim Ziyech (Morocco)

A Dutch youth international, Hakim Ziyech ultimately elected to represent Morocco rather than the country of his birth in 2015. It was a decision blasted by Netherlands great Marco van Basten but one that helped Morocco end a 20-year World Cup absence. An attacking midfielder with the facility to penetrate the opposition, he is the fulcrum in an underrated Morocco side and has an eye for goal, finding the net eight times in 15 matches. Two prolific seasons at Twente earned him a move to Ajax in 2016 but the 25-year-old is looking for a new challenge after landing the league's player of the year award and will be desperate to prove his value in Russia.

Premier League 2018/2019 Round 1 Fixtures- Emery takes on Pep

The Premier League released their fixture list for next season on Thursday. The opening day of the 18/19 season sees Unai Emery start his Arsenal tenure at home to Manchester City.

Arsenal will host Manchester City on the opening day of the 2018-19 Premier League season.

Unai Emery's first league match in charge of the Gunners sees him face off against Pep Guardiola's record-breaking champions at Emirates Stadium.

Manchester United start with a home game against Leicester City, while Chelsea are away to Huddersfield Town.

Tottenham travel to Newcastle United for the second opening day in a row and West Ham boss Manuel Pellegrini's first match back in the Premier League will be a daunting visit to Anfield to take on Liverpool.

Championship winners Wolves start at home to Everton, Fulham host Crystal Palace in a London derby and Cardiff City head to England's south coast to take on Bournemouth.

The matches will take place over the weekend ofAugust 11-12, subject to changes based on live broadcasts.

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Premier League 2018-19 opening matches:

Bournemouth v Cardiff City
Arsenal v Manchester City
Fulham v Crystal Palace
Huddersfield Town v Chelsea
Liverpool v West Ham
Manchester United v Leicester City
Newcastle United v Tottenham
Southampton v Burnley
Watford v Brighton and Hove Albion
Wolves v Everton

Russia - Saudi Arabia: World Cup 2018 Opener Preview

We take a look at the 2018 World Cup opening match between hosts Russia and Group A opponents Saudi Arabia at the Luzhniki Stadium in Moscow. Kick-off: Thursday 5pm (CET).

Russia:

Losing striker Aleksandr Kokorin was a big blow to the hosts going into the tournament so they will have to rely on Aleksandr Golovin as their most dangerous attacking threat instead.

In addition, most of the squad play domestically in Russia but they can look to Villarreal's Denis Cheryshev and Club Brugge shotstopper Vladimir Gabulov to give European experience.

Saudi Arabia:

The Middle Eastern country will be pinning their hopes on Al-Abed, Al-Muwall and Al-Shehri with the three bringing a mixture of goalscoring prowess, experience and robustness to the side.

Russia striker Artyom Dzyuba on his country's chances:

"We're realists. We're not favourites to win the World Cup, but we want to get out of the group and we're playing at home. We want to prove to everyone, and most of all to ourselves, that we can play football, so that the country can be proud of us.

"We're a football country, not just an ice hockey or basketball or volleyball country, but a football one too. And we'll put every effort into getting out of the group, to start with, and we'll only start fantasising after that."

Saudi Arabia manager Juan Antonio Pizzi on their opponents:

"Our goal is to beat Russia. We are ready, we are not afraid. We are planning on being the protagonists and we will try to control Russia's virtues, which are many".

Did you know?

Russia and Saudi Arabia's only previous encounter was in October 1993; the Saudis won 4-2 at home in a friendly.

Prediction: 1-0

Possible lineups:

Russia: Akinfeev; Zhirkov, Kutepov, Ignashevich, Fernandes; Golovin, Anton Miranchuk, Zobnin, Samedov; Dzagoev, Smolov.

Saudi Arabia: Al-Muaiouf, Al-Burayk, Al-Boleahi, Hawsawi, Al-Harbi, Al-Faraj, Ali-Khaibari, Kanno, Al-Jassim, Al-Shehri, Al-Sahlawi.