Island nations reconvene in Cyprus
Monday, January 10, 2011
Article summary
Barely a year after their last visit, Iceland return to Cyprus for the sides' first competitive meeting, with both playing catch-up in the Nordic-dominated UEFA EURO 2012 Group H.
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Article body
Barely a year after their last visit, Iceland return to Cyprus for the sides' first competitive meeting, with both playing catch-up in a Nordic-dominated UEFA EURO 2012 Group H.
Match background
• The sides met in Larnaca in the most recent of their three friendly encounters on 3 March 2010 – a year and 23 days ahead of this encounter – with the game ending in a 0-0 draw. Rúrik Gíslason managed to hit the bar twice for the visitors from distance.
• Their first meeting, also in Larnaca, on 16 October 1991 produced a draw too. Charalambos Pittas scored for Cyprus while Thorvaldur Örlygsson registered for Iceland.
• Iceland won 2-1 when the sides met in Akranes on 5 June 1996, Alexander Högnason and Gudmundur Benediktsson scoring for the hosts with Klimis Alexandrou responding for Cyprus. Iceland have thus yet to lose in three games against Cyprus.
• Iceland have lost all three of their Group H games to date, while Cyprus have only one point, earned from their shock 4-4 draw away against Portugal in their opening fixture in the section.
