England vs Iceland LIVE: Result and reaction as Jon Thorsteinsson goal gives visitors memorable win
Gareth Southgate’s men play their final game ahead of this summer’s tournament, which begins with a fixture against Serbia on 16 June
England were beaten 1-0 by Iceland in their final warm-up game ahead of Euro 2024. With Gareth Southgate naming his 26-man squad on Thursday there was a feeling of anticipation ahead of the clash at Wembley to see what the Three Lions’ younger players could produce.
The answer wasn’t much. Cole Palmer, starting on the right side alongside Harry Kane and Anthony Gordon, was a livewire in the early stages but Iceland were the ones to open the scoring. A sharp move from Hakon Arnar Haraldsson in midfield saw the ball slipped through to Jon Thorsteinsson who cut inside and drilled a low shot through the legs of John Stones to beat second-choice goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale at the near post.
That goal shocked Wembley and England who looked to respond. Harry Kane fired over the bar, Phil Foden slotted an effort wide and Palmer messed up a one-on-one. There was a lack of ruthlessness and creativity in the final third.
Gareth Southgate’s men head to Germany on the back of a defeat which he’ll hope will spur them on to better things come the start of the tournament.
Relive the action below:
FULL-TIME! England 0-1 Iceland
95 mins: FULL-TIME! Mainoo wins the ball back and threads it through to Toney, who is brought down. Maybe one more chance for England?
It’s not to be, as the referee blows the final whistle and Iceland have their first ever win at Wembley!
England 0-1 Iceland
94 mins: Eze plays in a cross that is narrowly taken off the head of Saka at the back post. England recycle possession and it comes to Alexander-Arnold on the edge of the box. He drives in and hits the cross across goal, and it’s deflected behind for a corner.
Gomez hits it wide in what may well be the last meaningful action of the game.
England 0-1 Iceland
92 mins: Not a bad idea from Alexander-Arnold to try and feed in Saka, but the Arsenal man misjudges the pass.
Iceland bring on Lunddal Fridriksson for Thorsteinsson.
England 0-1 Iceland
91 mins: A nice idea from Rice as he hooks a ball through to Saka, but the Arsenal man was offside just before Mainoo half-volleyed a shot wide.
England 0-1 Iceland
90 mins: There’ll be five minutes added on. Five minutes for England to salvage result in a home friendly against Iceland.
Alexander-Arnold fizzes in a cross but it’s cleared.
88 mins: England are lacking any cohesion in attack as the game approaches 90 minutes, with another cross ending up in the arms of Valdimarsson.
England 0-1 Iceland
86 mins: Many heading for the exit already, and you can’t blame them.
England 0-1 Iceland
85 mins: Saka tries to hit a cross to Eze at the back post, but it overruns and is out for a goal kick.
England 0-1 Iceland
82 mins: Iceland make changes, as Bergmann Johannesson and Sigurdsson come on for Haraldsson and Gudmundsson.
Mainoo is the latest to hit a long-range effort over the bar.
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