UEFA Euro 2016 England vs Iceland Preview of Round of 16: Start Time and Live Streaming
Who Will Reign Supreme: England or London?
On paper, England will have bigger challenges to hurdle in UEFA Euro Round of 16 against Iceland. For Iceland, it's a chance to tally one of the greatest upsets in the history of football. This makes the Monday's England vs. Iceland clash, which will be held in Nice, France, at 3:00 p.m. ET.
Small Country, Big Success
With a population of just around 330,000, Iceland is the smallest country in history to qualify for the European Championships, a feat preceded by a string of incredible upsets leading to fairy-tale success. It began with a 3-0 win over Turkey on a European Championship qualifying campaign, followed by two victories over football giant Holland.
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Indeed, it is no understatement to say that Iceland's Euro 2016 qualification is a great underdog story. That makes the match with powerhouse England intriguing. If England loses this match, which many think to be highly unlikely, that will only prolong the British agony of not having tasted triumph since their World Cup win in 1966, exactly 50 years ago.
England vs Iceland in the Past
England and Iceland previously met in 2004. In that game, England crushed Iceland with a score of 6-1. Wayne Rooney, England's current captain, scored twice in that game. For this first major encounter between the two countries, it seems England has everything to lose while Iceland has everything to gain.
Heimer Hallgrimsson, assistant coach of Iceland, said, "I would guess that in the mind of the people in England, it is only a game to lose. For the people of Iceland, this game is not seen in that way. I wouldn't want to be Roy Hodgson if he lost to Iceland."
Hallgrimsson adds that beating England will change the lives of not only the players but also Icelanders. He says a victory will skyrocket the football reputation of this small-sized country.
Strengths and Wiknesses
Despite previous successes with Iceland, Roy Hodgson, England's manager, says they aren't taking the country lightly. In fact, Hodgson said they scouted the team methodically by sending five people to watch the Iceland vs Austria game in Paris.
Hodgson adds that scouting was focused on finding defensive weaknesses that England can exploit. While Iceland will focus on keeping England from obtaining space in behind, their defense overall isn't extraordinary.
Iceland's strengths reside on their familiarity and team chemistry; the 16-strong team hasn't changed in two years. They also have an effective 4-4-2 system that guarantees each player will have a defensive impact. England, on the other hand, can utilize their highly productive right flank. Iceland should also keep an eye on Rooney, who will make deep midfield runs to involve more teammates.
