Iceland push Germany all the way

The meeting of Germany and Iceland in Grindavik produced six goals despite the teams having only pride to play for in UEFA European Women's Under-19 Championship Group A.

High-scoring
Germany, the group winners, scored four of them – through Imke Wübbenhorst, Nadine Kessler, Nathalie Bock and Isabel Kerschowski – while Iceland took some pride from their third straight defeat thanks to two strikes from Fanndis Fridriksdóttir.

Advantage Germany
An entertaining game was only eight minutes old when Wübbenhorst converted Nicole Banecki's cross with a thumping header. With Germany coach Maren Meinert keeping the Kerschowski twins on the bench, Lisa Schwab was keen to impress in attack. But it was captain Kessler who doubled Germany's lead, tapping in following a corner. After Wübbenhorst had struck the Iceland crossbar, the hosts had their best chance of the half on 43 minutes, Laufey Björnsdóttir latching on to a poor back pass but being thwarted by goalkeeper Jana Burmeister.

Icelandic resistance
Isabel Kerschowski, introduced at half-time, forced a save from Iceland No1 Ása Adalsteinsdóttir before rattling the woodwork moments later. With Sara Björk Gunnarsdóttir leading Icelandic resistance from midfield, Olafur Thör Gudbjörnsson's team gained a foothold in the match. Their hard work paid off on the hour when Fridriksdóttir stole the ball off Burmeister and slotted into an empty net. The Germany keeper made amends by denying Fridriksdóttir who was through on goal. From the resulting corner, Maren Meinert's team broke and Kessler played in Bock to finish emphatically.

No mistake
Yet Iceland came again. The lively Fridriksdóttir delivered a dangerous cross that went unpunished, then struck her third goal of the finals following a Linda Rós Thorláksdóttir pass. The 3-2 scoreline revived home hopes but, against the run of play, Isabel Kerschowski found herself one on one with Adalsteinsdóttir and made no mistake.