World Cup

[monks data]

Attendance: 44,190

World Cup | Group Stage

Jun 16, 2018 at 2pm UK

Argentina
1-1
Iceland Iceland

Aguero (19')

FT(HT: 1-1)

Finnbogason (23')

Hannes Halldorsson: 'Saving Lionel Messi penalty a dream come true'

By Giuseppe Labellarte, Reporter

Published: June 16 2018 | 17:00

Last updated: June 16 2018 | 21:30

Iceland goalkeeper Hannes Halldorsson admits that saving a penalty from Argentina star Lionel Messi in their 1-1 World Cup draw is "a dream come true".

Iceland goalkeeper Hannes Halldorsson has claimed that saving a penalty from Argentina star Lionel Messi is "a dream come true".

The World Cup debutants claimed a creditable point in a 1-1 draw with the 2014 finalists in Saturday's Group D encounter at Moscow's Otkrytiye Arena.

After Sergio Aguero had opened the scoring for Argentina on 19 minutes and Alfred Finnbogason equalised four minutes later, Messi was given the chance to score from the spot in the 64th minute.

However, the Randers FC stopper made the save to condemn the Barcelona playmaker to his first ever missed penalty for Argentina, as well as a share of the spoils for the Icelanders.

"For me as a goalkeeper to play for Iceland and face the best player in the world at a penalty is a big moment and a dream come true to save it," Halldorsson told BBC Sport.

"Especially as it helped us get a big point which I hope is going to prove important to us. It is our goal to qualify.

"I did some homework. This was a situation which I knew could come up. I looked at a lot of penalties from Messi and had a good feeling that he would go this way today."

Messi has missed four of the last seven spot kicks that he has taken for club and country, not including penalty shootouts.