Argentina World Cup Scenarios: How it Can Qualify for Knockout Stage

Find out how Argentina can qualify for the knockout stage after its devastaing loss to Croatia.

After a huge 3-0 loss to Croatia on Thursday, Argentina is in danger of being eliminated from the World Cup. 

The team received some help on Friday, when Nigeria defeated Iceland 2-0 to move into second place in Group D. Croatia is already through, but that second spot is up for grabs going into the final matchday.

In their final games, Argentina will face Nigeria, while Iceland will take on Croatia in a pair of simultaneous matches. 

Despite having a single point and a -3 goal differential after two matches, Argentina can advance with the following scenarios after the Nigeria–Iceland result: 

Simplest scenarios for Group D finales Tuesday:

🇳🇬 Nigeria advances with win OR draw & Iceland doesn't win & make up GD

🇮🇸 Iceland advances with win unless Argentina wins & makes up GD

🇦🇷 Argentina advances with win unless Iceland wins by same/greater margin

— Paul Carr (@PaulCarr) June 22, 2018

#RootForChaos scenarios for Tuesday:

- Argentina wins by one more goal than Iceland wins

- They score the same number of goals

- ARG & ISL go to Fair Play points

- (NGA wins H2H tiebreaker with ISL if ISL wins 2-0 and NGA draws 1-1)

— Paul Carr (@PaulCarr) June 22, 2018

• If Iceland beats Croatia: Argentina would need to beat Nigeria and take the tiebreaker edge over Iceland. With Iceland at -2 goal differential and Argentina at -3, it would require Argentina winning by at least one more goal than Iceland does. If it's by one goal exactly, and their goal differential is even, then Argentina would have score more goals in its win than Iceland does in its win to seize the goals scored tiebreaker, which is next in line after GD. 

• If Iceland and Croatia draw or Iceland loses to Croatia: Argentina would be in with a win vs. Nigeria, regardless of the score. 

Full group standings can be seen here.