June 7, (THEWILL)- England’s preparations for Euro 2024 were rocked after they slumped to a 1-0 home defeat against Iceland in their final warm-up match at Wembley Stadium on Friday night.
Gareth Southgate’s side struggled to break down the resilient Icelandic defence, while a first-half strike from Jón Dagur Þorsteinsson proved the difference.
The Three Lions went into the friendly clash hoping to build momentum ahead of their opening Euro 2024 group game against Serbia next weekend. However, they found themselves trailing after just 13 minutes when Þorsteinsson capitalised on sloppy defending to fire Iceland into a surprise lead that they never relinquished.
Despite England dominating possession and creating several decent chances, they lacked a cutting edge in the final third. Captain Harry Kane spurned their best opportunity before the break, while Phil Foden dragged an effort wide early in the second period as the hosts pushed for an equaliser that never materialised.
In contrast, Iceland looked a threat on the counter-attack and could have extended their lead, with Þorsteinsson going close to doubling his tally. The underdogs showed tremendous defensive discipline to keep England at bay and pull off an unexpected victory that raises major concerns for Southgate and his players a week before Euro 2024 kicks off.
A clearly frustrated Southgate admitted his side simply “weren’t good enough” as their winless run stretched to four games in five outings ahead of the European Championship in Germany.
About the Author
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
