Milan Badelj (left) drove the ball into the floor powerfully and it fizzed in for Croatia's opener
Iceland failed in their attempt to reach the World Cup knockout stages for the first time as Croatia secured a late win to top Group D on maximum points.
The Nordic nation knew they had to win to stand any chance of reaching the last 16 and their colourful support looked dejected in Rostov on Don where their side missed key chances late in the first half.
Alfred Finnbogason and Birkir Bjarnason both went close before the interval but Milan Badelj stylishly slammed home for Croatia after the break.
That forced Iceland to chase the game and they hit the bar through Sverrir Ingason before Gylfi Sigurdsson won a penalty through a Dejan Lovren handball and converted it to level.
In the dying minutes, with Argentina leading Nigeria 2-1 some 1,100 miles away in St Petersburg, Iceland knew a win would see them jump ahead of the South American nation in second place.
But their attacks became less frequent as Croatia took more control and Ivan Perisic - one of only two places to retain his place from the win over Argentina - fired across the keeper to win it for Croatia in injury time.
His side now face Denmark in the last 16 on Sunday, while Argentina will play France on Saturday.
Croatia win Group D and have conceded just one goal in their three wins so far
More to follow.
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Line-ups
Match Stats
Live Text
Line-ups
Iceland
1Halldórsson
2SaevarssonBooked at 84mins
5Ingason
6R SigurdssonSubstituted forSigurdarsonat 71'minutes
18Magnússon
20HallfredssonBooked at 59mins
17Gunnarsson
7Berg Gudmundsson
10G Sigurdsson
8BjarnasonSubstituted forTraustasonat 90'minutes
11FinnbogasonBooked at 64minsSubstituted forGudmundssonat 85'minutes
Substitutes
3Fridjónsson
4Gudmundsson
9Sigurdarson
12Schram
13Rúnarsson
14Árnason
15Eyjólfsson
16OI Skúlason
19Gíslason
21Traustason
22Bödvarsson
23AF Skúlason
Croatia
12L Kalinic
13JedvajBooked at 83mins
5Corluka
15Caleta-Car
22Pivaric
10ModricSubstituted forBradaricat 65'minutes
19Badelj
8KovacicSubstituted forRakiticat 82'minutes
20PjacaBooked at 14minsSubstituted forLovrenat 69'minutes
4Perisic
9Kramaric
Substitutes
1Livakovic
2Vrsaljko
3Strinic
6Lovren
7Rakitic
11Brozovic
14Bradaric
17Mandzukic
18Rebic
21Vida
23Subasic
Referee:
Antonio Miguel Mateu Lahoz
Match Stats
Home TeamIcelandAway TeamCroatia
Possession
Home39%
Away61%
Shots
Home16
Away14
Shots on Target
Home6
Away2
Corners
Home10
Away5
Fouls
Home10
Away11
Live Text
Posted at
Match ends, Iceland 1, Croatia 2.
Full TimePosted at 90'+5'
Second Half ends, Iceland 1, Croatia 2.
Posted at 90'+5'
Corner, Iceland. Conceded by Filip Bradaric.
Posted at 90'+4'
Corner, Iceland. Conceded by Dejan Lovren.
Posted at 90'+4'
Attempt missed. Aron Gunnarsson (Iceland) header from the centre of the box misses to the right. Assisted by Gylfi Sigurdsson with a cross following a corner.
Posted at 90'+4'
Corner, Iceland. Conceded by Dejan Lovren.
Posted at 90'+2'
Corner, Iceland. Conceded by Vedran Corluka.
Posted at 90'+2'
Foul by Josip Pivaric (Croatia).
Posted at 90'+2'
Albert Gudmundsson (Iceland) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Posted at 90'+2'
Attempt missed. Ivan Rakitic (Croatia) right footed shot from outside the box is close, but misses to the left. Assisted by Ivan Perisic.
Goal!Posted at 90'
Goal! Iceland 1, Croatia 2. Ivan Perisic (Croatia) left footed shot from the left side of the box to the top right corner. Assisted by Milan Badelj.
SubstitutionPosted at 90'
Substitution, Iceland. Arnór Ingvi Traustason replaces Birkir Bjarnason.
Posted at 90'
Milan Badelj (Croatia) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Posted at 90'
Foul by Björn Sigurdarson (Iceland).
Posted at 89'
Attempt missed. Andrej Kramaric (Croatia) right footed shot from the centre of the box is close, but misses to the left. Assisted by Milan Badelj.
Posted at 88'
Attempt missed. Ivan Rakitic (Croatia) right footed shot from a difficult angle and long range on the left is just a bit too high from a direct free kick.
Posted at 87'
Ivan Rakitic (Croatia) wins a free kick on the left wing.
Posted at 87'
Foul by Sverrir Ingi Ingason (Iceland).
SubstitutionPosted at 85'
Substitution, Iceland. Albert Gudmundsson replaces Alfred Finnbogason.
Posted at 85'
Attempt missed. Ivan Perisic (Croatia) left footed shot from outside the box is just a bit too high from a direct free kick.
BookingPosted at 84'
Birkir Már Saevarsson (Iceland) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Posted at 84'
Ivan Perisic (Croatia) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Posted at 84'
Foul by Birkir Már Saevarsson (Iceland).
BookingPosted at 83'
Tin Jedvaj (Croatia) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Posted at 83'
Foul by Tin Jedvaj (Croatia).
Posted at 83'
Johann Berg Gudmundsson (Iceland) wins a free kick on the left wing.
Posted at 82'
Attempt missed. Dejan Lovren (Croatia) header from very close range misses to the left. Assisted by Ivan Rakitic with a cross following a corner.
SubstitutionPosted at 82'
Substitution, Croatia. Ivan Rakitic replaces Mateo Kovacic.
Posted at 81'
Corner, Croatia. Conceded by Birkir Már Saevarsson.
Posted at 77'
Attempt saved. Johann Berg Gudmundsson (Iceland) left footed shot from outside the box is saved in the top centre of the goal.
Goal!Posted at 76'
Goal! Iceland 1, Croatia 1. Gylfi Sigurdsson (Iceland) converts the penalty with a right footed shot to the high centre of the goal.
Posted at 75'
Penalty conceded by Dejan Lovren (Croatia) with a hand ball in the penalty area.
Posted at 74'
Offside, Croatia. Josip Pivaric tries a through ball, but Andrej Kramaric is caught offside.
Posted at 74'
Attempt missed. Josip Pivaric (Croatia) left footed shot from outside the box misses to the right. Assisted by Andrej Kramaric.
Posted at 73'
Attempt missed. Birkir Bjarnason (Iceland) left footed shot from the centre of the box misses to the left. Assisted by Alfred Finnbogason.
Posted at 72'
Offside, Iceland. Hördur Björgvin Magnússon tries a through ball, but Alfred Finnbogason is caught offside.
SubstitutionPosted at 71'
Substitution, Iceland. Björn Sigurdarson replaces Ragnar Sigurdsson.
Posted at 70'
Delay over. They are ready to continue.
SubstitutionPosted at 69'
Substitution, Croatia. Dejan Lovren replaces Marko Pjaca because of an injury.
Posted at 69'
Delay in match Marko Pjaca (Croatia) because of an injury.
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goal
Source: bbc.com