http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Switzerland-c3016 under 21 versus Iceland under 21 – First half review: European U-21 Championships
The Switzerland under 21 contingent took on Iceland’s under 21 side in their group stage encounter in http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Denmark-c2884 as a part of the European U-21 Championships. The match took place at Energi Nord Arena on 14th of June, 2011 as both the teams looked to get more points on the board in order to qualify for the knockout stages of the tournament in question.
Switzerland fielded a strong side which had http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Mario-Gavranovic-c23976 made up the Swiss front line.
On the other hand, Iceland went with a 4-4-2 system which meant that Arnar Mar Bjorgvinsson started in goal for the Scandinavian nation. In http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Defence-c38904 Orn Eyjolfsson was accompanied by Logi Valgardsson, Gudni Fjoluson and Eggert Jonsson. In midfield, Bjarni Vidarsson and Gudmundur Kristjansson started on the wings as they provided Iceland’s U-21 side with width.
In central midfield, http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Alfreð-Finnbogason-c4997 and Kolbeinn Sigthorsson. Both the teams were evenly matched on paper thus when the game started it was a surprise that Switzerland started off the encounter as the dominant force. Soon it was evident that Switzerland’s midfield duo were dictating the tempo of the encounter as Iceland’s young guns found it hard to live with Shaqiri’s pace.
The young Swizz U-21 international playmaker soon carved open the Icelandic defence in the 1st minute of the encounter. Shaqiri blitzed down the right flank before tip toeing his way past two Iceland U-21 defenders. Switzerland’s mercurial midfielder then had the awareness of mind and the technique to find Fabian Frei in space inside the Iceland penalty area. Frei made no mistake from 12 yards out as Switzerland punished Iceland for their woeful defensive display.
Before the half time whistle, Iceland fell further behind when Frei became the provider this time around. The young Swiss striker fed his strike partner Emeghara with a finely timed through ball inside the Iceland penalty area. Emeghara produced a clinical finish to end the move as the half time came to a close shortly after with the score line at 2-0 in favour of the Swiss U-21 team.
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