Tiny Iceland beats Austria 2-1 to set up England clash

They came in second in their group after a 2-1 win over Austria thanks to this goal in injury time by Arnór Ingvi Traustason.

Iceland, with a population of around 330,000, is the smallest nation to qualify for a major finals and its national team strode into the last 16 and a meeting with England after consigning Austria to a premature exit.

Austria equalised in the 60th minute through substitute Alessandro Schoepf and dominated the final stages, only to be hit by a classic counter-attack in the last seconds as nearly the entire team piled forward. “He probably hasn’t played his best game yet at the tournament and hopefully he won’t do that against us either”.

Better known as Gummi Ben, former Iceland global turned commentator Gudmundur Benediktsson was already developing a growing fan base for his enthusiastic style behind the microphone.

The Austria coach, Marcel Koller, said: “In the first half we didn’t play well like in the two games before”. They weren’t pushovers. Far from it. And the joy of their fans was infectious as some tasted the big-stage for the first time in soccer. Even Icelandair have said that they will do everything they can to fly out as many Icelanders as possible.

“That’s what it means to us”, he said.

“We always do (fancy our chances), we have come up against some good teams in the past and we have come out victorious”, the Mälmo defender/midfielder told Sky Sports News HQ. I started seeing stars but as soon as we scored the winning goal it was an unbelievable feeling. “We don’t want to go home”. This is the feeling of all the lads – we’re a tightly knitted group, it’s extra fun to do this beside my best friends.

Iceland are unbeaten in the competition and have only lost one of their last nine competitive matches in a run of form that leaves England with no room for complacency as they meet a team who are entering unchartered territory under the guidance of Lars Lagerback and Heimir Hallgrimsson.

Jordan Allen broke a tie in the 87th minute and Real Salt Lake beat NY 2-1 to end the Red Bulls’ four-game MLS winning streak.

“It’s like having your family at the game”, Iceland defender Kari Arnason said of the team’s 10,000 supporters.

But he added: “If you underestimate us of course it’s a mistake”.

“That’s very important to participate in such a tournament with such a high level and intense matches”. Kri rnason nodded on Aron Gunnarssons long throw from the right for Jn Dadi Bdvarsson, who threw off his marker with one touch before sliding the ball past Almer with a second.