England Euros dream hit with shock Iceland defeat
England preparations for Euro 2024 took a major blow on Friday night as they slumped to a surprise 1-0 defeat to Iceland in a friendly at Wembley.
FULL-TIME:
🇩🇪 Germany 2-1 Greece 🇬🇷
🏴 England 0-1 Iceland 🇮🇸#ENGISL #GERICL #EURO2024 pic.twitter.com/MW2JVpQsMX— Match Spoots (@matchspoots) June 7, 2024
Recap
Wembley Stadium
England
Iceland
| Game Statistics | ||
|---|---|---|
| 0 | Yellow cards | 3 |
| 0 | Red cards | 0 |
| 7 | Corner Kick | 5 |
| 3 | Saves | 1 |
| 1 | Shots on Goal | 4 |
| 13 | Shots | 8 |
| OFF | 4 | |
| F | 4 | |
| SH | 13 |
| 0 | OFF | |
| 9 | F | |
| 8 | SH |
Ball Possession
The lineups:
- England: Ramsdale; Walker, Stones, Guehi, Trippier; Rice, Mainoo; Palmer, Fodon, Gordon; Kane
- Iceland: Valdimarsson; Bjarkson, Ingason, Gretarsson, Finnsson; Traustason, Gudmundsson; Anderson, Haraldsson, Thorsteinsson; Gudjohnsen
Southgate’s Controversial Decision
England lackluster performance against Iceland came just a day after Gareth Southgate announced the final 26-man squad for the European Championships. One notable absentee watching from home was Jack Grealish. Southgate claimed that other players had better seasons in 2023-24 compared to the Manchester City star, a point that’s hard to argue against. Yet, some of his choices left many baffled.
The Team’s Struggles
England’s team tried to rally without success. By the end of the match, questions arose about whether Grealish could have been the game-changer. His ability to bring something unique to the attack might have been just what the Three Lions needed.
Tactical Shortcomings
England’s tactics seemed ineffective against the Icelandic defense. A moment of brilliance, which Grealish is known for, could have made a significant difference. His creativity and flair in the midfield might have prevented the embarrassing defeat.
Looking Forward
While dwelling on past hypotheticals isn’t productive, Southgate will need to leverage more of his squad’s talent and creativity in future matches. Ensuring he doesn’t regret his choices will be crucial for the team’s success in Germany.
