- Dave Donnelly
- Fri, Jun 11 2021
ICELAND
Iceland host the Republic of Ireland for a pair of back-to-back friendlies as both sides play their final games before World Cup qualifying kicks off in September (kick-off 6pm).
The home side have been drawn into a qualifying group containing 2019 finalists the Netherlands, the Czech Republic, Belarus and Cyprus.
Iceland come into the game on the back of two creditable friendly performances away to Italy in April.
Italy edged the first game in Coverciano 1-0, but the second ended 1-1 as Bayern Munich’s Karolina Lia Vilhjalmsdottir cancelled out Valentina Giacinti’s first-minute goal.
Thorstein Halldorsson’s side will take plenty of confidence into the games as they look to carry their form into the qualifiers as they look to reach a first-ever World Cup.
REPUBLIC OF IRELAND
Ireland finish off their preparation for the 2023 World Cup qualifiers, which begin in September, with back-to-back friendlies with Iceland.
Manager Vera Pauw specifically chose the Nordic opposition as the top two seeds in Ireland’s group are Sweden and Finland.
Having been edged out in narrow friendly defeats to another Nordic opponent, Denmark, in Tallaght, and Belgium in Brussels, in April, this is a chance to finish the season with a win.
“Iceland are a fantastic opponent, because they are playing in the same kind of style of Sweden and Finland,” Pauw told the FAI’s media team.
“[They] are the top two seeded teams in our World Cup qualifying group, so these friendly games will help us to prepare for those qualifiers later in the year.
"Similar to the games against Denmark and Belgium in April, we chose to go with a strong opponent so that we can challenge ourselves because this will be the last window before we begin the World Cup qualifiers in September.
"Playing against a team like Iceland allows us to further develop our game - both defensively and from an attacking perspective.
“We have been making positive strides in our overall development and these games are perfect for testing us in the right kind of environment."
Pauw has a full squad to choose from after Wexford Youths playmaker Ellen Molloy was a late call-up, while Australian-born Aoife Coville has received international clearance.
Referee: Rebecca Welch (England).
MATCH STATS
The sides have met five times over the years, with Iceland winning twice and the other three games ending in a draw.
The last meeting, a friendly at Tallaght Stadium in 2017, ended in a scoreless draw.
BETTING
Iceland 10/11; Draw 2/1; Republic of Ireland 5/2.
PREDICTION
Iceland 2 – 1 Republic of Ireland
Iceland
Injured: N/A.
Doubtful: N/A.
Suspended: None.
Republic of Ireland
Injured: None.
Doubtful: None.
Suspended: None.
