The 10 men of Iceland held Croatia to a 0-0 draw in the first leg of their World Cup playoff at the Laugardalsvollur Stadium this evening.
In a game of few chances, Eduardo da Silva had the best opportunity of the first half when his scuffed shot was cleared off the line before Ivan Perisic had two decent chances in the second half.
Iceland had to play the majority of the second half with a man fewer after Ari Freyr Skulason was sent off for bringing down Perisic as the last man.
See how the action unfolded below.
Well, that's all from me this evening. I hope you have enjoyed the commentary, until next time, bye for now.
So Croatia take a 0-0 back home and you would consider them huge favourites for the second leg on Tuesday. However, they are without a competitive win since March, and the minnows will take heart from their stoic defensive display this evening.
Well, a very well done to Iceland. They played as the underdogs and had a man less for around 40 minutes. Croatia offered very little though and Kovac will be disappointed by his side's ineffectual display in the final third.
Modric jinks past a defender and fires a long-range effort goalwards, but it is not his best effort. It flies wide of the post and that could be that for the evening...
Olic's cross is headed clear by Sigurdsson, but it reaches Benko, who checks onto his right and bends an effort well wide of the goal. Last chance in normal time is wasted. We're into stoppage time. Two minutes.
Olic threatens down the right and tries a few step-overs before Gylfi Sigurdsson ushers him out of play. He's done well in a defensive role this evening the Spurs man.
It all hands on the deck for the final few minutes in Iceland. Croatia desperately searching for a winning goal, while the home side have all 10 men behind the ball defending their goal.
CHANCE! Rakitic clips it up to Mandzukic who nods it down delicately for Perisic and he connects well with it on the edge of the box, but it just arches away from goal at the last second. That was a big chance.
Time running out for Croatia this evening, and to be fair, it'd be cruel on Iceland if they were to be denied a draw to take to Croatia next week. The visitors have really threatened apart from two chances early in the second half.
The corner is another decent delivery, but Pletikosa is decisive with the take. He releases his side for an attack, but it is disrupted cynically.
Iceland have a freekick in a good position, it's about 25 yards out, wide right. Gylfi Sigurdsson sends in a dangerous ball in the six-yard box, but Croatia scramble it clear and Iceland have a corner.
The home side have resorted to long throws, but that is yielding little. Croatia have a freekick on the egde of the box, but it is drilled straight at the wall. Wasteful really.
Iceland have managed to withstand the pressure so far but their attacking forays have offered little tonight. Another long ball is aimless. There was no one near it.
Modric lays it off to Rakitic who fires a long-range effort straight at the keeper. Plenty of sting behind it, but it was too straight.
Rakitic sends in a deep cross after playing a short corner with Eduardo. A goalmouth scramble ensues before the ref blows for a foul for the home side.
Gudjohnsen, ploughing a lonely furrow up top here this evening. He tries to edge out Corluka, before going down as he tried to chase after a bouncing ball. He was perhaps looking for it, there was little else he could do though.
Sigurdsson with another finely judged challenge after Perisic scamppered inside the area. He's had a fine game the centre-back.
The change means Gudjohnsen is now the lone frontman for Iceland. A lot rests on him to hold the ball and allow his teammates to get up with him when they can venture forward. It's a difficult balancing act though.
Mandzukic feeds Ollic wide right and the forward checks onto his favoured left before delivering a cross, but the centre is cleared by Sigurdsson, who has had an excellent night at the back for his side.
There's still plenty of football left to play yet though, and it is all being played inside the Iceland half.
A long ball over the top from Iceland goes nowhere, it is gathered up by Pletikosa and Croatia come again. Iceland's sole objective looks as though it is to hold on for the rest of the game now.
Croatia are finding joy down the left hand side now though. Iceland are struggling to get out of their own half right now.
CHANCE! Similar chance again, but this time it's an even better save from Halldorsson. He instinctively flicks out a palm to tip away the effort after another low delivery.
CHANCE! Perisic meets a low cross with a well-struck left-footed effort but is palmed away by Halldorsson. Croatia starting to turn the screw so to speak now.
It was lovely defence splitting pass by Rakitic to open it up for the sending off, and the Sevilla playmaker is at it again, this time he overhits it slightly. Expect him to get on the ball and make things happen more now.
It's harsh on Skulason, but by the letter of the law, he had to go. Croatia must take advantage here.
RED CARD Rakitic releases Perisic with a ball over the top but as he races onto to it, he is brought down by A. Skulason inside the box. Freekick on the edge of the box. Modric fires it in, but it is beaten away.
Lovely bit of skill from Gudjohnsen brings him away his marker and he slides a ball down the channel for Finnbogason to chase, he turns and hits it first time, but it goes over. Better from Iceland in an attacking sense though.
That's better from Modric, he steps away from a challenge before a step-over takes him into the area, he plays in Perisic wide left and the cross is gathered comfortably by goalkeeper Halldorsson.
Lagerback feels that his side are in a "win-win" situation over the two legs, regardless of the outcome.
"Of course it would be a huge disappointment if we didn't get to Brazil now that we are so close but, as far as I am concerned, we are in a win-win situation," he told reporters ahead of tonight's game.
"There weren't many outside Iceland and, to be fair, in Iceland who expected us to get this far, even though the expectations have grown the further we have got in qualifying."
You have to think that Croatia will have some spell of dominance in the second half. It will be interesting to see how the home side cope if it happens.
UPDATE: Elsewhere this evening, all other play-offs are currently goalless, after around 10 mins, while Republic of Ireland are currently 0-0 with Latvia in Martin O'Neill's first match in charge.
New Croatia boss Niko Kovac will not be too pleased with how his side have applied themselves this evening. More is needed from Ivan Rakitic and Luka Modric. Mario Mandzukic has been starved of chances, although the Bayern Munich striker is one of the finest poachers around, a chance may be all he needs this evening.
So, as I said, not a lot to fuel the debate during that half. Eduardo's early chance looked as though it was going to be a tough night for the Icelanders, but they recovered well and have defended stoically. They have not been put under too much pressure by Croatia though.
Well Eidur Gudjohnsen will be making way for Sigthorsson, but he is unable to get on the pitch before the whistle blows for half time.
Modric and Rakitic try to exchange passes at a quick tempo to liven things up, but Iceland are dogged in their approach and they win it back before winning a freekick deep in their own half about 30 yards out. Lagerback will be delighted with his team's defensive display tonight.
There'll be some injury time added on for this, the Iceland striker is in real pain out there. He's been stretchered off and that could be the end of his evening unfortunately.
Strong run from Sigthorsson, but Modric chases him every step of the way before the Ajax forward goes down on the edge of the box. He wants a freekick, but it looks as though his right ankle was caught in the turf.
We're edging towards half time, and there appears to little on the horizon by way of goalmouth activity. Apart from Eduardo's early chance, there has been little else to shout about. We shall see...
Neither side are able to hold on to possession at the moment, and Iceland had a chance to break down the left but Sigurdsson's ball over the top was too short and it was cut out.
Iceland coach Lars Lagerback will be happy with this performance so far. They have frustrated the visitors and they feels that they could nick an all-important goal down the other end as long as it stays 0-0.
Much rests of the shoulders of Sigthorsson and Sigurdsson for Iceland, but neither have been able to get involved much this evening.
Dangerous moment for Iceland as a deep cross bounces twice before it is eventually put out for a corner. Better approach play from Croatia.
Gudmundsson feeds Sigthorsson on the edge of the box with a lovely disguised pass but the Ajax striker is not allowed to turn. Nice move from Iceland though.
Best move of the match for Iceland as Gunnarsson feeds Bjarnason down the left and his cross reaches the back post, but Iceland can't quite make anything from it.
Huge cheers from the home fans as Modric floats one over the top only to see it cut out and as it comes back to him he handballs it while trying to control it.
Modric again loses it, this time he tries to thread it through wide left, but it is easily cut out. It is not working for the former Spurs man at the moment.
Perisic perhaps letting the frustration get the better of him there. He brought it down 25 yards out, and immediately went for goal. It was a woeful effort.
Modric has been robbed of possession a few times tonight, and it's Gunnarsson who takes it this time. The Real Madrid man is usually so assured on the ball.
Iceland are doing a good job of containing Croatia's star men. Theyt aren't getting much time to play on the ball. It's good, but can they sustain it for the full 90? Croatia have a corner...
Despite the winter chill, the home support are really providing a warm atmosphere. They sense that a historic spot at the World Cup could be on the cards.
Croatia: Pletikosa, Simunic, Perisic, Corluka, Rakitic, Modric, Srna, Illcevic, Mandzukic, Pranjic, Eduardo
The teams for tonight by the way are: Iceland: Halldorsson, R. Sigurdsson, Gudmundsson, Bjarnason, Sigthorsson, G. Sigurdsson, Finnbogason, Arnason; O Skulason, Gunnarsson, A. Skulason
It's all got a bit scrappy in midfield. First Modric is dispossessed, by Sigthorsson, but he is then fouled, and it all descends into chaos for a few seconds.
Ajax striker Kolbeinn Sigthorsson has scored 13 goals in 19 games for his country and will be one the main attacking threat for the home side this evening.
A deep freekick from the home side is headed out by Corluka for a corner. Somehow the referee gives a goal kick. Strange decision by the official and it is roundly booed by the Icelandic support.
Not a lot happening since I mentioned that it had been a bright start. Luka Modric has begun to find his range though, which is ominous for the Icelanders.
Iceland force a corner, but it is headed clear by Vedran Corluka, the home side come again, but it eventually trickles out for a goal kick. Lively start to this game here.
CHANCE! Nearly a disastrous start for the home side. Krasic releases Eduardo da Silva and the striker scuffs his shot but it beats the keeper and is cleared off the line. Good start from Croatia.
Incredibly, tonight's game will be the first time that they have been able to play a match at the Laugardalsvollur Stadium in November, due to the harsh climate of the Northern European nation.
The Croats finished second to Belgium in Group A, ending their campaign on 17 points, while the winners ran away with it on 26.
Meanwhile Iceland finished their campaign on the same amount as tonight's opponents, as Switzerland finished top of Group E with 24 points.
