UEFA Nations League: Can Iceland Continue to Surprise?

Switzerland vs Iceland

Iceland have built a reputation as football’s ultimate underdogs and, as usual, they will look to show that they should never be counted out when they play Switzerland in Matchday 1 of the very first UEFA Nations League.

The Nordic nation may have had a fairly underwhelming stint in the World Cup 2018, but as they have proven over the past two years, they are a team capable of upsetting even the giants and powerhouses of world football.

Switzerland have a pretty nice record against Iceland and will fancy their chances as they try to get off to a winning start in Group 2 of League A; however, they will certainly be cautious of the threat that the small nation brings.

Talking Points

If there’s one thing we know about Iceland, it’s that they have a penchant for pulling off remarkable performances when you least expect it.

Iceland almost made it to World Cup 2014, but it is in the Euro 2016 that they put themselves on the map. They reached the quarter-finals of the tournament, even beating a highly rated England squad on their way to the last eight.

They made gigantic strides since then and reached the World Cup in Russia last June. While they failed to win a single game in the tournament, they did produce one of the best performances when they held mighty Argentina to a 1-1 draw in their opening game.

They are the smallest nation ever to participate in the Euro Championship and the World Cup, and hopes are high that they can pick up where they left off as they continue to rise in the European ladder.

One change for Iceland since the World Cup is the man at the helm. Heimir Hallgrimsson, coach and part-time dentist who guided Iceland to a first-ever World Cup, has stepped down as manager after seven years with the team.

Heimir Hallgrimsson left his post as the Iceland manager before the UEFA Nations League — Heimir Hallgrimsson during Iceland National Football Team training in Russia

Hallgrimsson was replaced by Swede veteran tactician Erik Hamren who previously coached the Sweden national team. The 61-year-old boss helped the Blagult qualify for the Euros two consecutive times before bidding farewell at the end of their Euro 2016 campaign.

The Nations League will be his first tournament as Iceland boss, and he will surely look to make an impression as the Icelandic men’s team dream bigger.

Switzerland, on the other hand, will aim to crush Iceland’s aspirations as they try to build from their fine showing in the recently concluded World Cup. Coach Vladimir Petkovic guided his Swiss charges to an undefeated run in the competition’s group stage—one win and two draws—before losing to Sweden in the Round of 16.

Now, they will hope to get the momentum swinging back to their favour when they play in another international competition.

Midfielders Valon Behrami (Udinese) and Gelson Fernandes (Eintracht Frankfurt) have already retired from the Swiss squad following the World Cup, but Petkovic will remain confident with the line-up that he has, particularly with the likes of Stephan Lichtsteiner (Arsenal), Granit Xhaka (Arsenal) and Xherdan Shaqiri (Liverpool) all available at his disposal.

UEFA Nations League Guide: Format, Key Fixtures, Betting Odds & More!

History

While there’s no doubt Iceland are a feisty side that won’t easily go down without a fight, their record against Switzerland will surely cause some concern.

Switzerland and Iceland have met on six previous occasions, with the former never losing a game. In fact, the Swiss have won five out of those six meetings, averaging nearly two goals in all those victories.

If there’s one silver lining for Iceland, it is that they were able to manage a 4-4 draw with the Swiss in their last meeting in the World Cup qualifiers back in 2013. More amazingly, they battled back from a three-goal deficit in that game to share the spoils with the Blagult.

Johann Berg Gudmundsson bagged a hat-trick for Iceland to spark their spectacular comeback, so fans will undoubtedly have their eyes on him in hopes of seeing the 27-year-old repeat his performance and grab the UEFA Nations League 2018 highlights.

Betting Tip

	Switzerland vs Iceland	Over 2.25 @ 2.25
	September 09, 00:00 (GMT+8)

Switzerland have history on their side, not to mention that they will be playing on their own turf—in front of a supportive home crowd. With that said, it’s no wonder why they are the runaway winners against Iceland at SBOBET.

Nonetheless, while the UEFA Nations League 2018 odds have the Swiss as overwhelming favourites, it’s hard to ignore Iceland’s rise and the confidence they have developed in recent years.

The Nordic squad doesn’t have a big name star like Switzerland, but they have capable players in Gylfi Sigurdsson, Alfred Finnbogason, and Gudmundsson who can well fire them to victory.

This match-up is crucial for the two nations as it could be the decider of their future in the group, with the worst finisher set to be relegated to League B. With that in mind, it’s not wrong to expect the two national teams to fight all out and play out another tight and high-scoring affair.