Slovakia vs Iceland: How crucial is this match for Iceland?

Iceland has every chance to get out of this situation. However, in the case of a loss against Slovakia, this chance will cease. It looks like this match is going to be very interesting. Francesco Calzone’s side, famous for being good with dead balls and utilizing its tall attackers and defenders, could probably dominate the tempo of the game by keeping the ball on their side.

However, Age Hareide’s Icelandic team has suffered from lack of discipline and some individual errors, exposing its defensive flaws. The greatest challenge will be to remain focused, particularly in defensive play, as the game goes on. The poor away record of Iceland in this qualifying campaign, losing heavily to Bosnia and Luxembourg (teams Slovakia has defeated), proves that Slovakia is expected to emerge victorious. Slovakia’s victory will ensure that Slovakia reaches the EURO finals for the third time running.

Let’s watch today’s match highlights:         

First-half begins!!!

• Lukás Haraslín of Slovakia won a free kick in the attacking half in the 4th minute.
• Norbert Gyömbér took a right footed shot from outside the box in 7th minute. Juraj Kucka provided the assist.
• Norbert Gyömbér from Slovakia fouled in the 9th minute.
• Róbert Bozeník from Slovakia made a left-footed attempt to shoot from the center of the box in the 10th minute. It was near, but it went to the right side. Ivan Schranz provided the assist.
• In the 16th minute, Orri Óskarsson from Iceland scored a goal which made Iceland to be one goal up against Slovakia. He placed the ball in the bottom right corner using a header from the center of the box with assistance from Victor Pálsson.
• In the 24th minute, Iceland made a substitution: Stefán Thórdarson took over from Arnór Traustason who was hurt out of the game.
• In the 27th minute, David Hannok from Slovakia made an attempt of his header from the left side of the six – yard box, but it was cleared. Lukás Haraslín assisted with a cross.
• Slovakia’s Juraj Kucka scored in the 29th minute and tied the game at 1 – 1 with Iceland. A header from the left-hand six-yard box was sent into the bottom right corner. A corner resulted a cross by Lukás Haraslín and the goal afterwards.
• Slovakia scored in the 35th minute. The score was 2-1 versus Iceland. He scored a penalty with a right-foot shot into the bottom left corner.
• A foul by Róbert Bozeník, Slovakia in the 42nd minute.

Second-half begins!!!

• At the 45th minute, Dávid Hancko from Slovakia kicked the ball from a long distance at the left but was held by a central defender in the middle of the goalmouth.
• At the end of the 46th minute, the Slovakian player Lukás Haraslín put his team in a lead of 3-1 over Iceland. Using his right foot, he shot to the bottom right corner of the goal after Ondrej Duda’s assist after a fast break.
• In minute 54, Lukas Haraslin, Slovakia scored another and made it 4-1 on Iceland. He put in a right-footed shot from outside the box that went to the bottom right corner, thanks to Juraj Kucka after a brilliant counter attack.
• Juraj Kucka of Slovakia shot right from the box at the 56th minute and it was saved in the top left corner. Lukás Haraslín provided the assist.
• In the 61st minute, Iceland made a substitution due to an injury: Arnór Sigurdsson made way for Aron Gunnarsson.
• Slovakia replaced Lukas Haraslin with Toma Suslov after 64 minutes.
• Iceland substituted Willum Willumsson in the 72nd minute for Alfred Finnbogason.
• Andri Gudjohnsen of Iceland scored in the 73rd minute leaving the score as Slovakia 4, Iceland 2. On taking a corner, he shot right-footed from almost an inch away.
• The foul in the 75th minute by Ondrej Duda of Slovakia.
• A foul by Ísak Bergmann Jóhannesson from Iceland in the 76th minute.
• Icelan’s Alban Finnbogason tried his right-foot shot out of the box at the 78th minute, but a few inches to the right. Gudjohnsen supplied the assist following a breakaway attempt.
• Róbert Bozeník from Slovakia shot with his right foot from outside the area, and his shot was blocked in the 81st minute. Juraj Kucka provided the assist.
• In 83rd minute Slovakia player Róbert Bozeník won free kick in defense.
• Kolbeinn Finnsson, the Icelandic player, shot left footed from outside the box in the 86th minute but did not succeed as his shot was blocked.
• Martin Dúbralva from Slovenia got a yellow card in the 87th minute.
• In the 88thminute, Andri Gudjohnsen from Iceland made an attempt at a header from the centre of the box that went to the left. Alfred Finnbogason provided the cross.
• The 90th minute saw Juraj Kucka from Slovakia with a shot from right foot from centre box and it was blocked.
• At 90+1 minute, László Bénes of Slovakia scored a free kick in the attacking half.
• In the 90+3 minute, an Icelandic player called Victor Pálsson committed a foul.

The game between Slovakia and Iceland results have come up 4-2 to favor Slovakia.