The Iceland men’s national football team lost its world cup qualifier match in Reykjavík against Germany on Wednesday night, Vísir reports. This is Iceland’s fourth loss in six qualifying matches thus far. The team has lost five home matches in a row.
Germany took the lead in the fourth minute of the first half, with a goal by Serges Gnabry. Mark Antonios Rüdiger scored a second goal for Germany in the 23rd minute. Germany got its third goal after halftime, courtesy of Leroy Sané, and Timo Werner pounded the final nail in the coffin about a minute before the match ended.
Iceland remains, therefore, in the fifth seat with four points in the J-group, which includes Armenia, Germany, Liechtenstein, North Macedonia, and Romania. Iceland has four remaining qualifying matches: two home matches in October and two away matches in November.
Changes in starting lineup, Hannes retires
Head coach Arnar Þór Viðarsson and Assistant Coach Eiður Smári Guðjohnsen made six changes to the starting lineup ahead of Wednesday’s match. Hannes Þór Halldórsson started as goalie in place of Rúnar Alex Rúnarsson, who began the last two games. Jón Guðni Fjóluson and Ari Freyr Skúlason started as defenders in place of Kári Árnason and Guðmundur Þórarinsson. Guðlaugur Victor Pálsson was substituted in midfield for Andri Fannar Baldursson. Jóhann Berg Guðmundsson came in on the right wing and Þórir Jóhann Helgason on the left.
After the match, Hannes Þór Halldórsson announced that it was his last as part of the Icelandic National Men’s Football team. All together, Hannes played in 77 matches for Iceland—more matches than any other goalie in the history of Icelandic football. “I’ve played for the Men’s National Team for ten years now, almost to the day,” he said in an interview after the match. “I’m really proud of that and have had some incredible moments in this jersey—many of my best memories. But we’ve come to a generational changeover and we have so many great goalies, so I think this is the right time for me to step aside now and let them take the reins without me breathing down their necks. So this was my last game on the national team tonight—thank you all.”
Hannes might be leaving football, but that doesn’t mean he’s resting on his laurels. In 2021, he made his debut as a film director, with Cop Secret, which received positive advance reviews. Hannes directed and co-wrote (with Nína Pedersen and Sverrir Þór Sverrisson) the “raucously entertaining” spoof on the cop film genre.
See Also: Icelandic Football Requests Space To Enact Improvements
The Men’s National Football Team has been shaken of late by accounts of sexual assault. This has led to the resignation of director Guðni Bergsson and the entire board of the Icelandic Football Association. The Association’s CEO Klara Bjartmarz has taken an indefinite leave.
Meanwhile, a joint statement from The National Olympic and Sports Association of Iceland, Íslenskur Toppfótbolti, and the Icelandic Football Association asked that Icelandic football be given room to follow through on the work they’re preparing to combat the issues raised in the past few weeks. The plan includes electing a new temporary board and organising a workgroup that will work on creating and reviewing the necessary work procedures to ensure the right reactions to reports of sensitive matters. The workgroup will cooperate with the communications advisor of sports and youth issues.
According to the statement, the reviewed work procedures will be implemented into all associated institutions of the National Olympic and Sports Association of Iceland, making the association as a whole more prepared to handle such issues professionally. They note that while Icelandic football’s reputation has been damaged, it also has the strength, ability, opportunity and powerful members to improve and meet the challenges together.
