After taming Messi, Iceland targeting Nigeria

Agencies
June 17, 2018

Gelendzhik, Jun 17: Iceland's dream World Cup debut may have gotten them a point against two-time champions Argentina, but Aron Gunnarsson and his team mates are already putting that result behind them as they move on to the challenge of Nigeria.

The resilient islanders showed their iron will once again, coming back from a goal down to draw 1-1 with an Argentina side led by Lionel Messi and teeming with household names.

"Now we need to focus on Nigeria. We can't dwell on that game now, if we don't focus on Nigeria and don't get a result there, then that point is no use for anyone," the combative midfielder told reporters at a training session on Sunday.

The Icelandic team left Moscow immediately after the game and returned to their base on the Black Sea coast in the picturesque holiday town of Gelendzhik, where they are training at the modest local soccer stadium.

Wearing a bracelet on his right wrist with the words "Life Is Now" spelled out in beads in Icelandic, Gunnarsson said he didn't get to sleep until around four o'clock in the morning after his country's superb World Cup debut.

"I was still hyper after the game, the adrenalin was still going high, but that's just part of it. I think when you play a game like this and it's high-tempo, it's hard to shut everything down," Gunnarsson explained.

The 29-year-old said Iceland respected their more illustrious opponents but weren't in awe of the likes of Messi.

"If you stand by and idolise him, he's going to go past you and he's going to score, he's going to take advantage of that. It's just important to respect the guy and play your normal football," he said.

Hallgrimsson echoed Gunnarsson's desire to move on from their brilliant World Cup debut as quickly as possible.

"Our plan is to finish the Argentina game today with a meeting and then don't look back, start to focus on Nigeria," Hallgrimsson told reporters.

Croatia beat Nigeria 2-0 in Saturday's other Group D game and they top the group on three points, with Argentina and Iceland on a point apiece.

"This is a must-win game for Nigeria, and that makes it a little bit psychologically different, they have to win," Hallgrimsson said of Friday's match, adding that he expects the group to be tense. "This group is going to be decided in the last minutes, in the last game. It's going to be down to some margins, a set piece, extra time goal. This is how this group is going to be played," he said.

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News Network
March 27,2024

IPLbettingsuicide.jpg

Bengaluru: Darshan Babu is an engineer who is fond of betting on cricket matches and has been placing major bets on Indian Premier League (IPL) games since 2021. He often borrows money after losing a bet, or to place one when he is short on funds. His 23-year-old wife, tired of the constant harassment by creditors, died by suicide.

Ranjitha was found hanging at her home in Karnataka's Chitradurga on March 18. According to the family, Darshan had racked up a debt of over Rs 1 crore.

He worked as an assistant engineer in the Minor Irrigation Department at Hosadurga and had been ensnared in the realm of IPL betting from 2021 to 2023. This took a major toll on the couple's finances. Allegedly, he had borrowed over Rs 1.5 crore to place bets after his luck ran out and he lost all his money. While he managed to return Rs 1 crore, cops say that he still has a pending loan of ₹ 84 lakh.

Ranjitha married Darshan in 2020. She realised the truth about Darshan's involvement in betting in 2021, claims her father Venkatesh.

In his complaint, Venkatesh said that his daughter was extremely distressed due to the constant harassment by moneylenders and this led to her suicide. He has also named 13 men who had allegedly lent the money.

He said that his son-in-law was lured into betting with a promise of quick money.

"He (Darshan) was not willing to get into betting, but the suspects forced him saying it was an easy way to get rich. They promised to finance his betting activities against some blank cheques as security," he said.

Cops during their investigation found a suicide note, where she detailed the harassment they faced. Darshan and Ranjitha have a two-year-old son.

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