Back to the International Newsfeed

Hallgrimsson hails collective Iceland effort

Related Topics: Iceland, Portugal, Birkir Bjarnason

Iceland joint head coach Heimir Hallgrimsson praised the collective effort of his team after they upset the odds to earn a 1-1 draw against Portugal on Tuesday.

The European Championship debutants were heavily unfancied in the Group F encounter in Saint-Etienne and the pre-game predictions appeared a formality when Nani put Portugal into a half-time lead in an opening 45 minutes that they largely controlled.

But Iceland hit back after the break as Birkir Bjarnason became the first player from his country to score at a major tournament.

Portugal applied heavy pressure late on but a fine defensive showing ensured the spoils were shared and left Hallgrimsson fulsome in his praise for a well-executed game plan.