Nigeria vs Iceland Group D World Cup Picks & Predictions 6/22/2018
World Cup Group D
Friday, June 22, 2018
Volgograd Arena
Nigeria will take on Iceland at Volgograd Arena in a Group D matchup on Friday, June 22, 2018. The opening line for this World Cup matchup has Nigeria at +170 and Iceland at +155. The total opened at 2.25.
Many people see this as a toss-up matchup, but both countries will be searching for the winning goal in hopes of staying as close as they can to group favorites Argentina and Croatia. Bookmakers have given Nigeria the slight edge leading up to kickoff, but this really is anyone's game.
Nigeria
The Super Eagles seemed to have made the right choice by hiring Gernot Rohr as their manager. He has brought a new level of discipline to the squad, which is exactly what they are going to need in this matchup against Iceland. They do have a slight talent advantage in this game, and they will be hoping that their pace up front and their size in defense is enough to help them pull off the win. They will have their hands full against this experienced Icelandic side, but if they can control the midfield as expected, they can get three points from this game.
Francis Uzoho
The 19-year-old keeper made multiple mistakes leading up to the World Cup, but he's certainly talented. Iceland is prone to shoot from distance, so the youngster will need to stay on his toes throughout this matchup.
Alex Iwobi
Iwobi has not impressed in his club career with Arsenal so far, but he does seem to step it up when it comes time to play for his country. The 22-year-old winger has five goals in 19 caps for Nigeria and will be tasked with running straight at the Iceland defense in hopes of opening up some holes for his fellow attackers.
Iceland
You can be sure that Iceland will stick to their defensive approach against Nigeria. If they can stay composed and get good spells of possession like they have in recent friendlies, they certainly have a chance of picking up at least a point in this game. Of course, they will want to get all three points if they want any chance of moving through to the next round. Expect star midfielder Gylfi Sigurdsson to move all around the pitch and shoot as often as he can.
Johann Berg Gudmundsson
Gudmundsson is a name many casual football fans have never heard of, but he's certainly worth knowing about. The big winger plays on the right wing in most cases and likes to drive toward the middle and rip shots with his lethal left foot. If he's on his game, he can cause Nigeria some problems.
Birkir Mar Saevarsson
Saevarsson will be playing full back on the right side of Iceland's defense, which means he will have a tough task against Nigeria's speedy wingers. He plays in Iceland's lower leagues, so many people are wondering whether he can handle this much talent. He has played well in recent friendlies, and his home fans are hoping that continues in this pivotal matchup.
Key Nigeria Injuries
No key injuries to report
Key Iceland Injuries
No key injuries to report
Who will win tonight's Nigeria/Iceland World Cup game against the spread?
Guy's Pick: Take Iceland +155
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