Iceland Team Preview – Overview
Iceland have qualified for their first major tournament and will be out to impress on a much bigger stage now that they have done so. It was only a matter of time before they qualified for a big event having only missed out on the World Cup in Brazil when they lost to Croatia in a playoff.
Iceland were second in a qualifying group which saw the Netherlands fail to qualify and they only conceded six goals in their 10 matches with three of those coming in the last two matches when qualification was already secured so they have the ability to keep it tight which is always useful at any level.
Statistics
Best Performance – First Appearance
Previous Appearances – 0
Qualified – Group A Runner-up
Qualifying Record
P-10 W-6 D-2 L-2 GF-17 GA-6 PTS-20
Fixtures
Portugal vs Iceland – Tuesday 14th June, kickoff 20:00 at Stade Geoffroy-Guichard, Saint-Étienne
Iceland vs Hungary – Saturday 18th June, kickoff 17:00 at Stade Vélodrome, Marseille
Iceland vs Austria – Wednesday 22nd June, kickoff 17:00 at Stade de France, Paris
Squad
Managers (Joint): Heimir Hallgrímsson & Lars Lagerbäck
Goalkeepers: Hannes Halldorsson (Bodo/Glimt), Ogmundur Kristinsson (Hammarby), Ingvar Jonsson (Sandefjord).
Defenders: Ari Skulason (OB), Hordur Magnusson (Cesena), Hjortur Hermannsson (PSV Eindhoven), Ragnar Sigurdsson (Krasnodar), Kari Arnason (Malmo), Sverrir Ingi Ingason (Lokeren), Birkir Sævarsson (Hammarby), Haukur Heidar Hauksson (AIK).
Midfielders: Emil Hallfredsson (Udinese), Gylfi Sigurdsson (Swansea), Aron Gunnarsson (Cardiff), Theodor Elmar Bjarnason (AGF), Arnor Ingvi Traustason (Norrkoping), Birkir Bjarnason (Basel), Johann Gudmundsson (Charlton), Eidur Gudjohnsen (Molde), Runar Mar Sigurjonsson (Sundsvall).
Forwards : Kolbeinn Sigthorsson (Nantes), Alfred Finnbogason (Augsburg), Jon Dadi Bodvarsson (Kaiserslautern).
Betting
I’ve already taken Gylfi Sigurdsson as the top tournament goalscorer as a long range punt so I’ll be happy if he leads the scoring for Iceland over the course of their stay in the event so the only other betting market I’m interested in is their stage of elimination.
Most judges believe that Iceland will go out in the group stage but I’m not so sure. I think this is a group that three sides can come out of because all three should be expecting to beat Hungary. If Iceland beat Hungary and protect their goal difference against the other two sides, which they can easily do with their tight defensive organisation, then that should be enough to come out of the groups. Another point off the other two will definitely be enough.
From there they are going to face tougher opponents in much more pressurised matches and I think that is when they might get found out especially if they come third as is likely and they have to play Spain or Germany in the last 16.
They are unlikely to beat either of those so at 8/5 there is enough margin in the price for me to take them to exit in the first knockout round.
Tips
Back Stage of Elimination – Last 16 for a 3/10 stake at 2.60 with Boylesports
Back it here:
