The women’s team was eliminated from the World Cup
Since the World Cup hopes of the Icelandic Valkyries are shipwrecked, a new season begins for the men under the direction of Swedish coach Erik Hamrén. Here is the latest news from the war camp.
The Icelandic women’s national team was beaten by Germany
Our women’s national football team roared into action on September 1st at Laugardalsvell as they continued their doomed quest to get through to the finals of the 2019 Women’s World Cup. victory sealed the automatic qualifying spot. However, it was not to be: their brave soldiers charged time and again against the shrinking German squad and came close to scoring, but they were rightly beaten 0-2 in front of a sell-out crowd. A chance to qualify for the play-offs slipped through their bloody fingers in a 1-1 draw at home to the Czech Republic. Time to sharpen the battle axes for the next Euros. JR
#SmiteTheWorld restarts in the UEFA Nations League
Erik Hamrén’s first games at the helm of the Icelandic longboat will come against Switzerland and Belgium on September 8 and 11 respectively, but the Swedish sage plans to build on the impressive reign of his predecessor Heimis Hallgrímsson. He faces two tough tests in the inaugural UEFA Nations League, which was conceived to replace the lifeless international friendlies. The team will be without World Cup warriors Samúels Friðjónsson, Aron Gunnarsson, Ólaf Inga Skúlason, Jóhann Berg Guðmundsson, Alfred Finnbogason and Albert Guðmundsson. However, Rúnar Már Sigurjónsson, Victor Pálsson, Guðmundur Þórarinsson, forward Kolbeinn Sigþórsson and Viðar Kjartansson have all been included in the national team as our boys enter the new season. Go Iceland! GR
Snow leopards in the Premier League start howling
Jóhann Berg Guðmundsson, the sparkling scythe at Burnley and Gylfi Sigurðsson, the steely-eyed sharpshooter at Everton, have both contributed to scoring their first goals of the season and getting the strike train on track. ‘The Berginator’ corner featured James Tarkowski on matchday two of the Premier League’s 1-3 defeat to Watford, although his individual form has since been curtailed by injury and he will miss Iceland’s internationals as a result. Meanwhile, the Icelandic “Viking Virtuoso” found his shooting boots in the Carabao Cup, poking in Sandro Ramírez’s cross in Rotherham United’s 3-1 defeat. Aron “The Annihilator” Gunnarsson is yet to play for Cardiff this season due to a knee injury, although his strength off the pitch remains – the Iceland Lionheart welcomed a newborn son on September 3. GR
From Iceland to Islington: Hero Hannes making fun of Arsenal
World Cup hero Hannes Þór Halldórsson could be forced to save Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang’s penalty as his Qarabag side drew with Unai Emery’s Arsenal in the Europa League. Champions Azerbaijan play the North Londoners at the Emirates Stadium on December 13; The final game of both teams in Group D. Hannes will also travel to Lisbon to play Sporting CP umnishambles as well as FC Vorskla from Ukraine, which may well exist in reality. Nevertheless, Hannes will invade the dreams of all his opponents’ star players. Yes, even you, Mykhaylo Serhiychuk. GR