Iceland frustrate Portugal as they drew 1-1




Iceland battled again to frustrate Portugal as they drew 1-1 in their Euro 2016 team F opener in Saint-Etienne.

Portugal took the lead through Nani on 31 minutes, but had to accept a point after Birkir Bjarnason's neat equaliser within the 2nd half.

Iceland -- showing in their first International tournament -- had the opportunity for an early breakthrough when Gylfi Sigurdsson had a sight of intention but would not beat keeper Rui Patricio.

Portugal started to seize manipulate as the half of wore on, though, and Vierinha gave Hannes Thor Halldorsson some problems with a shot from distance on 18 minutes.



Rapidly afterwards, they must have had the lead when Cristiano Ronaldo crossed for his former Manchester United teammate Nani, but the Fenerbahce winger's header used to be saved at factor-blank range.

Ronaldo, who equalled Luis Figo's total of 127 caps, then neglected a headed chance earlier than simply failing to make contact with a Pepe pass.

They didn't ought to wait for much longer for the step forward. With just over half of an hour performed, Andre Gomes was equipped to get down the proper after some elegant build-up play earlier than delivering a low move for Nani, who changed from shut range.
That gave Portugal a deserved 1-zero lead on the spoil, and the sample appeared set to proceed after the restart -- but Iceland drew stage on 50 minutes.

Johann Berg Gudmundsson despatched in a go from the proper that observed its technique to Bjarnason, who coolly swept the ball earlier Patricio.

Portugal appeared to reassert their dominance however were struggling to make things occur, as when Ronaldo produced a neat flick to spark a move on 56 minutes however was once eventually crowded out as he tried to engineer house for a shot.

Nani got here virtually adding a second on seventy one minutes when he headed simply wide of purpose from Raphael Guerreiro's free kick. Ronaldo also fired simply over as Portugal broke away on the counter, with Iceland carrying on with to pursue an sick-told handball enchantment at the other end.

On eighty five minutes, as Portugal had been growing the strain, Ronaldo was once provided with a cross at the back post by using Nani -- but the actual Madrid ahead's header was once gathered via Halldorsson on the 2d strive.

Paticio pushed a shot from Finbogasson up into the air and away, but Iceland were increasingly pressured to hold on as the in shape drew to a conclusion.

But they survived two Ronaldo free kicks in succession, deep into harm time, to return away with a useful point.


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