European Championship qualifiers: Dutch in real danger of missing Euro 2016 party after Gylfi Sigurdsson strike gives Iceland victory

Danny Blind's men might not even make play-offs after defeat in Amsterdam

In their first competitive game under new coach Danny Blind the Netherlands suffered a disastrous night which threatens their chances of even making the Euro 2016 play-offs, losing 1-0 to Group A leaders Iceland in Amsterdam. Victory puts Iceland, jointly coached by Lars Lagerbäck and Heimir Hallgrimsson, on the brink of reaching their first major finals.

Blind stepped up from assistant coach in the summer after Guus Hiddink resigned and hopes were high that, assisted by Marco van Basten and Ruud van Nistelrooy and with Arjen Robben made captain, he could resurrect their qualifying campaign.

However, Blind’s honeymoon soon ended during a terrible first 45 minutes against Iceland. The Dutch went down to 10 men in the 33rd minute when Bruno Martins Indi tackled Kolbeinn Sigthorsson, tussled with him on the ground and appeared to strike the Iceland striker around the back of the neck.

At that point the Netherlands were already without their new captain, Robben having limped off with a groin strain.

Iceland went ahead seven minutes into the second half, Gylfi Sigurdsson scoring from the penalty spot after Serbian referee Milorad Mazic ruled Gregory van der Wiel had fouled Birkir Bjarnason in the area. Sigurdsson then squeezed his penalty under the dive of goalkeeper Jasper Cillessen.

Blind’s men created few chances until late on when goalkeeper Hannes Halldorsson made good stops from Newcastle’s Georginio Wijnaldum and Wesley Sneijder.

The visitors went close to a second goal when Johann Gudmundsson struck the upright with a curling shot after being teed up by Bjarnason.

In the other games in Group A, the Czech Republic, in second place, fell behind early on at home to Kazakhstan but two goals from striker Milan Skoda in the last 16 minutes gave them a 2-1 victory.

Turkey were on the brink of leapfrogging the Dutch to move into third but a last-minute equaliser by Latvia’s Valerijs Sabala pegged them back for a 1-1 draw. Nevertheless, the Turks face Blind’s side at home on Sunday.

In Wales’ group, Belgium stayed three points behind Chris Coleman’s side but had to survive a scare as they beat Bosnia-Herzegovina 3-1.

Belgium fell behind in the 15th minute to Edin Dzeko’s superb header, the striker, who recently left Manchester City on loan for Roma, peeling off his marker at the edge of the penalty area and nodding a cross over Thibaut Courtois and in at the near post.

Manchester United’s Marouane Fellaini equalised eight minutes later, burying a close-range header from Kevin de Bruyne’s corner.

De Bruyne, the new £54m City signing, gave the home side the lead on the stroke of half-time with a turn and shot from 25 yards out that caught out Asmir Begovic in the Bosnia goal.

Eden Hazard wrapped up victory by scoring Belgium’s third from the penalty spot with 12 minutes to go.

Israel, who play Wales on Sunday, warmed up for their game in Cardiff by beating Andorra 4-0, the new Brighton striker Tomer Hemed getting one of their goals from the penalty spot.

In Group H, the Southampton striker Graziano Pellè got the only goal as Italy scraped a 1-0 win over Malta in Florence.

Gareth Southgate’s England Under-21 side beat the United States’ Under-23s 1-0 in a friendly at Deepdale.

Of the 11 debutants over the course of the evening it was Manchester United’s James Wilson who made his mark with a poacher’s close-range finish in the second half 10 minutes after coming off the bench.