MOSCOW (AP) — The Latest on Thursday at the World Cup (all times local):
3:15 p.m.
Iceland coach Heimir Hallgrimsson has revealed that winger Johann Berg Gudmundsson isn’t expected to recover in time to play against Nigeria at the World Cup.
Gudmundsson tore his calf muscle in Iceland’s surprising 1-1 draw against Argentina last Saturday.
Hallgrimsson tells a news conference he was “not going to hide” the fact that Berg Gudmundsson is unlikely to recover in time, and says there’ll “definitely” be changes in the lineup.
Hallgrimsson said it was always his intention to alter the team in light of the different threat posed by Nigeria.
If Nigeria loses it will be out, having already lost its opening Group D match against Croatia 2-0.
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3:07 p.m.
Christian Eriksen has given Denmark a 1-0 lead in the 7th minute of the World Cup Group C game against Australia.
Nicolai Jorgensen had two controlled touches to create a scoring chance with well-timed pass and Eriksen finished off with a left-foot shot from close range.
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2:55 p.m.
FIFA says it condemns claims by a Morocco player that American referee Mark Geiger asked for a player’s shirt during Portugal’s 1-0 win on Wednesday.
Geiger denied the allegation to FIFA, which says the referee behaved in an “exemplary and professional manner.”
The claim was made by Morocco player Noureddine Amrabat in a post-game interview with Netherlands public broadcaster NOS.
Amrabat said Portugal defender Pepe told him the referee had asked for his shirt during the first half.
The Morocco player told NOS: “This is the World Cup, it’s not a circus.”
Some media wrongly reported Amrabat as saying Pepe told him Geiger had asked for Ronaldo’s shirt.
FIFA responded by saying it learned of reports of the allegation with “regret and disappointment.”
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2:20 p.m.
Lasse Schone has come into the Denmark lineup for the World Cup game against Australia to replace injured midfielder William Kvist, who broke two ribs in his team’s opening 1-0 win over Peru.
The Australians retained the same starting lineup from its opening 2-1 loss to France. The Australians need a win to maintain a realistic chance of progressing out of the group stage for the first time since 2006.
Lineups:
Denmark: Kasper Schmeichel, Simon Kjaer, Andreas Christensen, Thomas Delaney, Nicolai Jorgensen, Christian Eriksen, Henrik Dalsgaard, Jens Stryger Larsen, Lasse Schone, Yussuf Poulsen, Pione Sisto
Australia: Mathew Ryan, Mark Milligan, Matthew Leckie, Robbie Kruse, Andrew Nabbout, Aaron Mooy, Mile Jedinak, Aziz Behich, Josh Risdon, Trent Sainsbury, Tom Rogic.
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1:30 p.m.
Defender Thiago Silva will be Brazil’s captain in Friday’s match against Costa Rica.
Veteran left back Marcelo wore the arm band in the 1-1 opening draw against Switzerland but coach Tite decided before the World Cup that he would rotate the team’s captaincy.
Silva was Brazil’s captain at the World Cup in 2014, when he was criticized for breaking down before a penalty shootout in the round of 16.
Silva had already captained Brazil in a friendly against Argentina a year ago, when the “Selecao” lost 1-0 for its only setback under Tite.
Neymar took over the captaincy from Silva following the team’s disappointing elimination in the 2014 World Cup at home.
The player who captained Brazil the most under Tite was Daniel Alves, who missed the Russia World Cup because of a knee injury.
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12:35 p.m.
Former FIFA President Sepp Blatter says he met Vladimir Putin at the Kremlin and talked about the Russia team’s good start to the World Cup.
Blatter went to see Russia’s president after attending Portugal’s 1-0 win over Morocco in Moscow on Wednesday.
Blatter says “we had small talks. We spoke about football and the good start of the competition, the good start of the team.” Russia has qualified for the round of 16.
The 82-year-old Blatter is serving a six-year ban from official football duty until October 2021 for financial misconduct during this 17-year rule. The terms of the ban meant Blatter was kept separate from successor Gianni Infantino and other football officials at Luzhniki Stadium on Wednesday.
Fulfilling a long-standing personal invitation from Putin to attend the World Cup, Blatter will travel to St. Petersburg to see Brazil play Costa Rica on Friday.
Blatter says it was “respectful” to be invited to Russia and the Kremlin despite being suspended from football.
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11:40 a.m.
Dele Alli has missed England’s practice session because of a thigh injury, putting him in doubt for the team’s second group game against Panama at the World Cup.
The midfielder was hurt during England’s 2-1 win over Tunisia on Monday and was taken off in the second half.
Ruben Loftus-Cheek is the likely replacement if Alli misses out.
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