World Cup debutant Iceland will try not to melt in the fierce heat of Volgograd when it takes on Nigeria after holding two-time champion Argentina to a draw at the weekend.
Iceland is dreaming of the knockout stage and writing a new chapter in one of the most outstanding stories of international football in recent years.
In its way stand not only Nigeria, which is desperate for a win after losing its opening game to Croatia, but also the challenge of searing temperatures in the southern Russian city.
Weather forecasters are predicting heat of 32 degrees Celsius at kick-off on Friday, 10 degrees hotter than when Iceland pulled off its draw with Argentina.
“Of course we’ve talked about it,” said assistant coach Helge Kolvidsson. “We have doctors... and we’re trying to prepare as good as we can, if it’s going to help with vitamins or stuff like that, but it’s going to be the same for both teams.”
June 19-24, 2018 -- The FIFA World Cup takes place in Russia, with 32 teams competing to be crowned World Champions. Matchday two fixtures in the group stage take place over the next five days, beginning with Russia versus Egypt, and finishing with Group H match-ups between Japan and Poland, and Senegal against Colombia. Graphics, one for each match, show head-to-head and tournament records for the second group stage matches at FIFA World Cup 2018.
In a potential blow for Iceland, winger Johann Berg Gudmundsson — who is central to the team’s quick, counter-attacking style — is a doubt after tearing a muscle in the Argentina game.
While a draw for Iceland would keep its knockout hopes alive, Nigeria, which is at bottom of Group D, is under huge pressure to get all three points with manager Gernot Rohr saying his team must win.
Striker Odion Ighalo promised Nigeria would be on the front foot after managing only two chances on target against Croatia.
So far, only one team from Africa has won in this edition with Senegal beating Poland 2-1 on Tuesday.
