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Euro 2022: Belgium and Iceland play out entertaining draw

Iceland and Belgium were forced to settle for a point each after an entertaining Euro 2022 Group D encounter in front of a raucous crowd at Manchester City’s Academy Stadium.

Berglind Thorvaldsdottir’s second-half header had put Iceland on course for only their second win at a European Women’s Championship.

But a penalty by Reading’s Justine Vanhaevermaet, after Gunnhildur Jonsdottir’s foul on Elena Dhont, ensured the sides ended level in what was the first match of the tournament for both.

At 0-0, Thorvaldsdottir had a penalty saved by Nicky Evrard after experienced defender Davina Philtjens had handled.

Academy Stadium passes Euro 2022 test

Before Euro 2022 began, the decision to use the Academy Stadium as a venue was labelled “embarrassing” by Iceland’s captain Sara Bjork Gunnarsdottir.

The home of Manchester City’s women’s team is the smallest venue, having a tournament capacity of 4,400, with organisers arguing it is better to play games in front of sell-out crowds than thousands of empty seats in big stadiums.

On a glorious sunny day, the venue passed the test as Iceland and Belgium fans came together to create a carnival atmosphere in front of a 3,859 crowd.

The seventh game of the tournament was played out against the backdrop of non-stop noise, with Belgium’s fan band competing against the drums of Iceland’s followers to see who could be the loudest.

There was even the sight and sound of the Viking clap, which came to prominence at the men’s Euro 2016, when about 8% of the Icelandic population accompanied the team to France.

There are venues that dwarf the Academy Stadium in terms of size at this tournament, like Old Trafford and Wembley Stadium.

But as atmospheres go, this was up there with the best.

Iceland's fans during the Euro 2022 game against Belgium
Iceland have only managed to win one of the four matches in which they have taken the lead at the Euros (D1 L2), beating the Netherlands in 2013 (1-0)

Iceland’s prime minister cheers on team

They rolled out the red carpet at the Academy Stadium to welcome Iceland’s prime minister, who flew to England to support the team.

Katrin Jakobsdottir joined supporters in the fan park in Manchester city centre before watching an action-packed game.

Belgium and Iceland created 34 chances between them but could not be separated at the final whistle.

While Belgium will play group favourites France in Rotherham next, Iceland and their fans will be back at the Academy Stadium to face Italy, with both games to be played on Thursday.

Player of the match

JónsdóttirSveindís Jónsdóttir

with an average of 8.41

Belgium

  1. Squad number18Player nameDe Neve
    Average rating

    7.14

  2. Squad number7Player nameEurlings
    Average rating

    7.03

  3. Squad number10Player nameVanhaevermaet

    Average rating

    7.00

  4. Squad number2Player namePhiltjens

    Average rating

    6.94

  5. Squad number20Player nameBiesmans

    Average rating

    6.79

  6. Squad number15Player nameVangheluwe

    Average rating

    6.78

  7. Squad number19Player nameKees

    Average rating

    6.76

  8. Squad number13Player nameDhont

    Average rating

    6.56

  9. Squad number1Player nameEvrard

    Average rating

    6.38

  10. Squad number9Player nameWullaert

    Average rating

    6.37

  11. Squad number3Player nameVan Kerkhoven

    Average rating

    6.34

  12. Squad number11Player nameCayman

    Average rating

    6.08

  13. Squad number6Player nameDe Caigny

    Average rating

    5.89

Iceland

  1. Squad number23Player nameJónsdóttir

    Average rating

    8.41

  2. Squad number5Player nameJónsdóttir

    Average rating

    8.26

  3. Squad number4Player nameViggósdóttir

    Average rating

    7.97

  4. Squad number2Player nameAtladóttir

    Average rating

    7.66

  5. Squad number7Player nameGunnarsdóttir

    Average rating

    7.53

  6. Squad number1Player nameSigurdardóttir

    Average rating

    7.53

  7. Squad number10Player nameBrynjarsdóttir

    Average rating

    7.44

  8. Squad number11Player nameGísladóttir

    Average rating

    7.25

  9. Squad number18Player nameArnardóttir

    Average rating

    7.21

  10. Squad number21Player nameGudmundsdóttir

    Average rating

    7.21

  11. Squad number17Player nameAlbertsdóttir

    Average rating

    7.16

  12. Squad number9Player nameThorvaldsdóttir

    Average rating

    7.03

  13. Squad number8Player nameVilhjálmsdóttir

    Average rating

    6.93

  14. Squad number15Player nameJóhannsdóttir

    Average rating

    6.86

Line-ups

Belgium

Formation 4-2-3-1

  • 1Evrard
  • 15Vangheluwe
  • 19Kees
  • 18De Neve
  • 2PhiltjensBooked at 32mins
  • 10VanhaevermaetBooked at 85mins
  • 20Biesmans
  • 13DhontSubstituted forEurlingsat 78′minutes
  • 6De Caigny
  • 11Cayman
  • 9WullaertSubstituted forVan Kerkhovenat 90+3′minutes

Substitutes

  • 3Van Kerkhoven
  • 4Tysiak
  • 5Wijnants
  • 7Eurlings
  • 8Delacauw
  • 12Lemey
  • 14Vanmechelen
  • 16Minnaert
  • 17Tison
  • 21Lichtfus
  • 22Deloose
  • 23Missipo

Iceland

Formation 4-3-3

  • 1Sigurdardóttir
  • 2Atladóttir
  • 4Viggósdóttir
  • 18Arnardóttir
  • 11Gísladóttir
  • 8VilhjálmsdóttirSubstituted forJóhannsdóttirat 90+2′minutes
  • 10Brynjarsdóttir
  • 7GunnarsdóttirSubstituted forAlbertsdóttirat 86′minutes
  • 5Jónsdóttir
  • 9ThorvaldsdóttirSubstituted forGudmundsdóttirat 72′minutes
  • 23Jónsdóttir

Substitutes

  • 3Vidarsdóttir
  • 6Sigurdardóttir
  • 12Ívarsdóttir
  • 13Sveinbjornsdóttir
  • 14Magnúsdóttir
  • 15Jóhannsdóttir
  • 16Jensen
  • 17Albertsdóttir
  • 19Gunnlaugsdóttir
  • 20Árnadóttir
  • 21Gudmundsdóttir
  • 22Andradóttir

Referee:
Tess Olofsson

Match Stats

Live Text

  1. Match ends, Belgium Women 1, Iceland Women 1.

  2. Second Half ends, Belgium Women 1, Iceland Women 1.

  3. Hannah Eurlings (Belgium Women) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

  4. Foul by Sif Atladóttir (Iceland Women).

  5. Substitution, Belgium Women. Ella Van Kerkhoven replaces Tessa Wullaert.

  6. Attempt missed. Alexandra Jóhannsdóttir (Iceland Women) header from the centre of the box is close, but misses to the right. Assisted by Agla Maria Albertsdóttir.

  7. Substitution, Iceland Women. Alexandra Jóhannsdóttir replaces Karólína Lea Vilhjálmsdóttir.

  8. Sari Kees (Belgium Women) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

  9. Foul by Dagny Brynjarsdóttir (Iceland Women).

  10. Attempt missed. Sveindís Jónsdóttir (Iceland Women) left footed shot from the centre of the box misses to the right following a corner.

  11. Corner, Iceland Women. Conceded by Laura De Neve.

  12. Offside, Belgium Women. Hannah Eurlings tries a through ball, but Janice Cayman is caught offside.

  13. Attempt missed. Karólína Lea Vilhjálmsdóttir (Iceland Women) left footed shot from outside the box is close, but misses to the right.

  14. Attempt blocked. Sveindís Jónsdóttir (Iceland Women) right footed shot from the right side of the box is blocked.

  15. Attempt missed. Karólína Lea Vilhjálmsdóttir (Iceland Women) right footed shot from outside the box is too high from a direct free kick.

  16. Substitution, Iceland Women. Agla Maria Albertsdóttir replaces Sara Björk Gunnarsdóttir.

  17. Justine Vanhaevermaet (Belgium Women) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.

  18. Foul by Justine Vanhaevermaet (Belgium Women).

  19. Dagny Brynjarsdóttir (Iceland Women) wins a free kick in the attacking half.

  20. Offside, Belgium Women. Tine De Caigny tries a through ball, but Hannah Eurlings is caught offside.

Sourced From BBC

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