Kazakhstan v Iceland background

Kazakhstan will look to take inspiration from a recent Under-21 success when they meet Iceland for the first time at senior level in UEFA EURO 2016 qualifying Group A.

Previous meetings
• The nations are locking horns for the first time at senior international level.

• Iceland and Kazakhstan have met in three UEFA age-group competition games, with Iceland recording two wins to Kazakhstan's one. Most recently, the sides were paired in qualifying for this summer's UEFA European Under-21 Championship; Iceland won 2-0 at home but lost 3-2 in the return game in Astana.

• The teams for that latter fixture on 5 March 2014 were:
Kazakhstan: Pokatilov*, Miroshnichenko*, Kozhabayev, Passichnik, Lunin*, Islamkhan*, Beisebekov* (Pikalkin 90+2), Murtazayev* (Li 84), Sartakov, Zhangylyshbay* (Ulshin 60), Kuat.
Iceland: Rúnarsson, Ingason, Hermannsson, Ómarsson, Magnússon*, Thórarinsson, Yeoman, Traustason (Atlason 85; Pálsson 90+3), Bödvarsson*, Fridjonsson, Emilsson (Vilhjálmsson 46).

• Current Kazakhstan senior squad members Stanislav Lunin and Roman Murtazayev both scored in that game, though Lunin was later sent off for a second bookable offence.

*have been selected for UEFA EURO 2016 games.

Form guide
• Kazakhstan have endured a three-game Group A losing streak since kicking off with a 0-0 draw at home against Latvia. They are without a win in seven competitive matches (D2 L5) since a 2-1 home victory against the Faroe Islands in a 2014 FIFA World Cup qualifier on 6 September 2013.

• Iceland won their first three Group A contests without conceding, but lost 2-1 in the Czech Republic in their most recent fixture. They have won only one of their last five competitive away matches (3-0 in Latvia in their second Group A game).

Trivia and links
• Iceland midfielder Aron Gunnarsson is one cap short of 50 senior appearances for his country.

• The nations' clubs have met in four UEFA club competition games, with the Kazakh sides recording three wins to their Icelandic counterparts' one.