England suffered a 1-0 defeat to Iceland in their final warm-up game before Euro 2024, with Jon Dagur Thorsteinsson scoring the only goal. Despite a bright start, England was stunned in the 12th minute when Thorsteinsson cut in and fired past Aaron Ramsdale after a simple through ball. Harry Kane missed England’s best chance in the first half, sending his close-range effort wide.
Anthony Gordon was lively until substituted after an hour, but there were few positives for Gareth Southgate, who also awaits news on an early injury to John Stones. Iceland’s goalkeeper, Hakon Valdimarsson, was rarely troubled apart from set-pieces. England dominated possession but failed to create clear-cut chances and was nearly punished again when Thorsteinsson slipped while shooting in the 63rd minute.
Trent Alexander-Arnold and Ivan Toney made an impact off the bench, but Iceland held firm. Southgate will hope this is just a blip, but the performance will be concerning as England lacked sharpness in attack and was vulnerable in defense. Anthony Gordon was England’s standout player, showing pace and good link-up play, particularly in the first half. Iceland’s goal came from a defensive error, highlighting England’s vulnerability. Despite quality in attack, England struggled to create clear chances, raising concerns ahead of Euro 2024. Southgate looked anxious as his team failed to find an equalizer, and there were boos from the crowd at the end.
Be First to Comment