Iceland out to break Hungary hold
Friday, January 1, 2016
Article summary
Hungary have won their last five games against Iceland, but Lars Lagerbäck's side have reason for hope as the teams meet in UEFA EURO 2016 Group F.
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Hungary are on a five-game winning streak against Iceland, whose coach Lars Lagerbäck has a positive record against his side's UEFA EURO 2016 Group F opponents.
Previous meetings
• Iceland's record in ten matches against Hungary is W3 D0 L7.
• The nations have met six times in qualifying tournaments, Iceland winning the first three games and Hungary the last three.
• The only meeting during the past decade, a Budapest friendly in August 2011, resulted in a resounding 4-0 victory for Hungary. Current skipper Balázs Dzsudzsák was among the scorers.
EURO facts – Iceland
• This is Iceland's first time at a major final tournament. They are one of two sides making their major finals debut at UEFA EURO 2016, along with Albania.
• With a population of 330,000, Iceland is the smallest nation to have appeared at any major final tournament; with around 10 million citizens, Hungary's population is around 30 times that of Iceland.
• Icelandic clubs have played five games in France in UEFA competition, losing all five of them by an aggregate score of 17-2.
EURO facts – Hungary
• This is Hungary's first EURO finals since 1972 and their first major final tournament since 1986. Only four countries competed at the two EURO final tournaments they reached – in 1964 and 1972.
• Hungary reached the final of the 1938 and 1954 World Cups, losing to Italy (in France) and West Germany respectively.
• Hungary made it to the finals after winning both legs of their play-off against Norway.
• In their only previous fixture in Marseille, Hungary lost 4-1 to Czechoslovakia in a December 1969 World Cup play-off.
Coach and player links
• Iceland midfielder Rúnar Már Sigurjónsson turns 26 on the day of the match.
• The game is taking place the day after Hungary midfielder Ádám Nagy's 21st birthday.
• Iceland goalkeeper Ögmundur Kristinsson (27) and defender Ragnar Sigurdsson (30) celebrate birthdays the day after this encounter.
• In 2010 World Cup qualifying, Lagerbäck's Sweden prevailed 2-1 against Hungary home and away.