After beating the Czech Republic 2-1 last Friday in Reykjavík, Iceland tops Group A. With four games still to be played in the Euro 2016 qualifiers the future bears a fascinating shade for Iceland. Two victories should secure a direct qualification for the final tournament in France.
Iceland next travel to Amsterdam, to play against the remaining World Cup bronze medalists, before a home tie against Kazakhstan, both in early September.
The playmakers Gylfi Sigurðsson (right) duels with Tomáš Rosický, Czechs' captain and best player. Photo/Ernir Eyjólfsson
The Friday game was a thrilling affair. Both teams would have been happy with a draw, as could be seen after a very tense first half. But when the Czechs broke the deadlock 10 minutes into the second half the game kicked into overdrive. Iceland equalized almost immediately with captain Aron Einar Gunnarsson heading past Czech keeper Petr Čech in the 60th minute. And Iceland did not ease off after bringing the game level. They kept pressing the Czechs and in the 76th-minute striker Kolbeinn Sigþórsson scored the decisive goal rounding Čech and putting the ball into the empty net.
The decisive goal Kolbeinn Sigþórsson rounds Petr Čech. Photo/Ernir Eyjólfsson
Iceland managers, Swede Lars Lagerback and Icelander Heimir Hallgrímsson, deserve huge credit for the performance of the team, which as only concede three goals in six matches while scoring fourteen.
53 European nations are competing for 23 places in the final tournament with hosts France as team number 24.
The 53 nations are drawn into nine groups of five or six teams. Group winners, group runners-up and the best third-placed side qualify directly for the tournament. The eight remaining third-placed teams will contest play-offs to determine the last four qualifiers.
This would be Iceland’s male team's first appearance at a major championship. Iceland's female national team has twice participated in the Euro finals.
After beating the Czech Republic 2-1 last Friday in Reykjavík, Iceland tops Group A. With four games still to be played in the Euro 2016 qualifiers the future bears a fascinating shade for Iceland. Two victories should secure a direct qualification for the final tournament in France.
Iceland next travel to Amsterdam, to play against the remaining World Cup bronze medalists, before a home tie against Kazakhstan, both in early September.
The playmakers Gylfi Sigurðsson (right) duels with Tomáš Rosický, Czechs' captain and best player. Photo/Ernir Eyjólfsson
The Friday game was a thrilling affair. Both teams would have been happy with a draw, as could be seen after a very tense first half. But when the Czechs broke the deadlock 10 minutes into the second half the game kicked into overdrive. Iceland equalized almost immediately with captain Aron Einar Gunnarsson heading past Czech keeper Petr Čech in the 60th minute. And Iceland did not ease off after bringing the game level. They kept pressing the Czechs and in the 76th-minute striker Kolbeinn Sigþórsson scored the decisive goal rounding Čech and putting the ball into the empty net.
The decisive goal Kolbeinn Sigþórsson rounds Petr Čech. Photo/Ernir Eyjólfsson
Iceland managers, Swede Lars Lagerback and Icelander Heimir Hallgrímsson, deserve huge credit for the performance of the team, which as only concede three goals in six matches while scoring fourteen.
53 European nations are competing for 23 places in the final tournament with hosts France as team number 24.
The 53 nations are drawn into nine groups of five or six teams. Group winners, group runners-up and the best third-placed side qualify directly for the tournament. The eight remaining third-placed teams will contest play-offs to determine the last four qualifiers.
This would be Iceland’s male team's first appearance at a major championship. Iceland's female national team has twice participated in the Euro finals.
