World Soccer - UK (2020-04)

All to play for

Nick Bidwell looks at the factors, both positive and

negative, facing all 16 Euro 2020 play-off contenders

ICELAND

Three Reasons to be Cheerful

1

Memories still burn bright of their

Euro 2016 heroics, particularly the

sensational round-of-16 victory over

England. Thoughts of more continental

glory are bound to fire up the hosts.

2

Coach Erik Hamren puts his side’s

chances of victory against the

Romanians at 55-45 in Iceland’s

favour. Home advantage at a rocking

Laugardalsvollur arena could tip the

balance even further.

3

Their ability to make goals out of

nothing, to live off scraps and then

strike, of which Kolbeinn Sigthorsson is

a perfect example.

Three Fear Factors

1

They are undoubtedly an ageing

team and fielded no fewer than seven

thirtysomethings in the 1-0 home loss to

France in October. No one can defy the

passing of the years.

2

Iceland are rarely comfortable

playing on the front foot and in a

one-off tie on home soil they will be

expected to take the initiative. They

would much rather play a counter-

attacking, waiting game.

3

The last time Hamren was involved

in a major tournament play-off he

ended up on the losing side. Back in the

autumn of 2013 his Sweden side lost

4-2 on aggregate to Portugal in a World

Cup repechage.

ROMANIA

Three Reasons to be Cheerful

1

Playmaker Ianis Hagi and striker

George Puscas are a talented pair

of young guns who, on their day, can

combine beautifully.

2

Mirel Radoi’s appointment as coach

last autumn should bring added

freshness and enthusiasm to the ranks.

Coach of the Romanian under-21 side

that reached the semi-finals of last

year’s European Championship, he

has indicated that the promotion of

youngsters will be a priority.

3

Evergreen 33-year-old front-man

Claudiu Keseru may not start, but

he is as hungry as ever and will be a

more than useful impact sub.

Three Fear Factors

1

Defensively they are not as well

organised or drilled as they ought

to be. Once a Romanian international

stopper himself, Radoi needs to iron

out those awkward wrinkles.

2

In qualification they had a lot of

problems when facing Scandinavian

opposition and were winless in four

games against Norway and Sweden.

Will Iceland’s power be too much?

3

Battle-hardened centre-back Vlad

Chiriches looks likely to miss the

showdown in Reykjavik as he has been

sidelined for several months following

a groin problem.

Iceland v Romania

EURO 2020 PLAY-OFFS PREVIEW | PATH A

Living off scraps...

Iceland’s Ragnar

Sigurdsson (no6)

and Kari Arnason

keep out Turkey

Evergreen...Claudiu

Keseru (no13)