IT WAS NOT A BRILLIANT DAY AT THE OFFICE FOR ENGLAND YESTERDAY WHEN PLAYING AGAINST ICELAND! THEY WERE DEFINITELY OFF-PAR, AND SEEMINGLY TAKEN UNAWARES OF EXACTLY HOW DETERMINED THIS SHARP ICELANDIC SQUAD WERE! THEY SHOULDN’T HAVE BEEN REALLY, WITH JON DAGUR THORSTEINSSON MAKING HIS INTENT CLEAR EARLY DOORS, BY WRAPPING HIMSELF AROUND JOHN STONES AND BRINGING HIM DOWN ONTO THE GROUND, WHERE HE SUSTAINED AN EARLY INJURY TO HIS FOOT BY THE LOOKS OF THINGS, AS HE DIDN’T COME BACK ON FOR THE SECOND HALF. (GARETH SOUTHGATE’S WORST NIGHTMARE, UPON ENTERING THIS COMPETITION.) THEN IT WAS THE FEISTY THORSTEINSSON AGAIN, WITH THE SAME LOOK OF INTENT, WHO SCORED FOR ICELAND AT JUST 12 MINS. INTO THE MATCH, SENDING SHOCKWAVES AROUND THE STADIUM AND CHEERS OF DELIGHT FROM THE ICELANDIC FANS. IN TOTAL, THERE WERE 13 EXCITING SHOTS FOR ENGLAND, AND ANOTHER EIGHT FOR ICELAND, WITH ONE ON-TARGET FOR ENGLAND, AND FOUR ON-TARGET FOR ICELAND. ENGLAND HAD 68% POSSESSION AND ICELAND 32% OF THE BALL, WITH NINE FOULS CLOCKED UP ON THE ICELANDIC SIDE, AND FOUR FOR ENGLAND. ICELAND RECEIVED THREE YELLOW CARDS, NONE FOR ENGLAND. SO ICELAND MAY HAVE BEEN 1 – 0 UP BY THE END OF THE MATCH, BUT WITH A GAME OF SUCH PHYSICALITY, AT LEAST ENGLAND CAN STROLL INTO THE EURO’S IN FINE FETTLE (MORE OR LESS.) WE’LL SEE IF WE CAN GET AN UPDATE ON JOHN STONES – STAY TUNED…!
INTERNATIONAL FRIENDLY – ENGLAND VS ICELAND – 07/06/2024
WORDS BY AMANDA WATERS
