Iceland pulled off one of the biggest shocks in European Championship history when they stunned England 2-1 in their last-16 clash on Monday leading losing manager Roy Hodgson to resign.
England slumped to its most embarrassing loss in a generation after taking the lead in the fourth minute through Wayne Rooney’s penalty.
Ragnar Sigurdsson and Kolbeinn Sigthorsson took advantage of defensive shortcomings by England to put Iceland ahead by the 18th minute, and the Icelanders defended superbly in the second half to earn the biggest victory in their history.
The country of 330,000 — featuring in its first ever major tournament — next plays host nation France in Saint-Denis on Sunday, while England heads home early again for another post-tournament inquest. England’s players slumped to the ground after the final whistle, their heads in their hands.
For a soccer nation of England’s standing, its record in major tournaments is woeful. The English have still never won a knockout-stage game abroad in the European Championship in eight attempts and haven’t won a match beyond the group stage of a major tournament since 2006.
This defeat will probably go down as England’s most humiliating since losing 1-0 to the United States in 1950 World Cup.
Iceland was relatively untroubled in the second half as England’s passing and touch deserted its players, with Rooney especially culpable.
(With agency inputs)
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