Messi ‘hurt’ by penalty miss

Lionel Messi admits ‘it hurts me’ to have missed a penalty during Argentina’s 1-1 World Cup draw with Iceland but notes ‘they didn’t want to play’.

Messi’s second-half spot-kick was turned away by Iceland goalkeeper Hannes Halldorsson, which came in stark contrast to Cristiano Ronaldo not only scoring a penalty but going on to bag a hat-trick for Portugal in their 3-3 draw with Spain.

“It hurts me to have missed the penalty because it would’ve given us a decisive advantage,” the Barcelona No 10 said after Saturday’s game.

 “We’ll keep going with the same enthusiasm and desire. It’s a very even World Cup, all matches are very tight and we have to keep going.

“There’s bitterness from not being able to add the three points in our first match because I think we deserved it.

“it was complicated. They didn’t want to play, they waited for us far back and there was no room to get through them.

“They sat back well and it cost us. We didn’t think about starting the first game with a point, but hey, it’s the first game. No-one gives you anything.”

Tags 2018 World Cup Argentina Iceland Lionel Messi
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