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Thursday, October 30, 2025

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Iceland complete play-off victory

Iceland 3 (Jonsdottir 32, Eiriksdottir 58, Asgeirsdottir pen 73) Northern Ireland 0

Iceland won 5-0 on aggregate

Northern Ireland turned in a battling performance in sub-zero temperatures but lost out to Iceland in the second leg of the UEFA

Women's Nations League promotion/relegation play-off in Reykjavik.

The aggregate defeat result means Tanya Oxtoby's side will remain in League B but there have been positives in terms of possession and determination for the young side from both this loss and the first leg last Friday in Ballymena.

Originally pencilled in for Tuesday evening, the game was postponed 24 hours and the venue changed to the nearby Þróttur Stadium (Laugardalur) because of heavy snowfall in the area which rendered the original Laugardalsvöllur Stadium unplayable.

Oxtoby stuck largely to the same starting XI that took to the field for the first leg with the only exceptions being the return of Rebecca Holloway from suspension and bringing Sarah McFadden off the bench following her impressive showing after coming on at the Ballymena Showgrounds.

Both sides enjoyed a bright opening to proceedings, with Karolina Vihjalmsdottir's cross being nodded goalward by Glodis Viggosdottir before being safely gathered by Jackie Burns while, at the other end, Rebecca McKenna embarked on a surging run down the right in an attempt to reach the onrushing Lauren Wade at the far post.

Northern Ireland pressed again soon after with Rebecca Holloway finding Kascie Weir in the box but her attempt on goal was charged down by Ingibjorg Sigurdardottir.

It took around a quarter of an hour for either side to create the first real effort of the game when Vilhjalmsdottir found space just outside the box only to send a left foot shot just wide of the post.

Then, moments after that, Hlin Eiriksdottir delivered a perfectly executed cross for Sandra Jessen to nod just narrowly wide albeit under pressure from McFadden.

The home pressure continued as Vihjalmsdottir's free-kick almost curled home at the post before, just after the half-hour mark, the deadlock was finally broken when Eiríksdóttir got space down the left to send the ball into the danger zone for Jessen to touch the ball on for Sveindis Jonsdottir to find the net from close range.

To their credit, Northern Ireland continued to probe with Wade doing well to get a cross into the box just before the break but this was cancelled out by keeper Cecilia Runarsdottir.

That positive end to the half carried on after the break when Joely Andrews made the most of a slip in the home defence to find Kascie Weir in the box who was denied only by the bravery of Runarsdottir.

However Iceland doubled their advantage just before the hour after Eiriksdottir nodded the ball past Burns after Hildur Antonsdottir had touched on Jonsdottir's long throw in.

Then, a quarter of an hour after that, Iceland grabbed their third of the evening, this time converted from the spot by Emilia Asgeirsdottir into the bottom right corner awarded after Nadene Caldwell was adjudged to have brought down Vilhjalmsdottir.

Focused on salvaging something from the game, Northern Ireland gave it one last throw of the dice in the closing stages after substitute Leyla McFarland pushed forward with her delivery only partially cleared and played back in by McKenna for another substitute, Emily Wilson, to see a shot on goal blocked.

Iceland: Cecilia Rúnarsdóttir, Sandra Jessen (sub Emilía Ásgeirsdóttir 65mins), Glódís Viggósdóttir (sub Arna Eiríksdóttir 45mins), Ingibjörg Sigurðardóttir, Alexandra Jóhannsdóttir, Karólína Vilhjálmsdóttir, Hlín Eiríksdóttir (sub Diljá Zomers 65mins), Hildur Antonsdóttir (sub Katla Tryggvadóttir 74mins), Guðrún Arnardóttir, Sædís Heiðarsdóttir, Sveindís Jónsdóttir (sub Thelma Pálmadóttir 83mins). Subs not used: Fanney Birkisdóttir, Telma Ívarsdóttir, Vigdís Kristjánsdóttir, María Grós, Hafrún Halldórsdóttir, Amanda Andradóttir.  

Northern Ireland: Jackie Burns, Rebecca McKenna, Sarah McFadden (sub Natalie Johnson 64mins), Abi Sweetlove, Megan Bell (sub Mia Moore 53mins), Lauren Wade (sub Casey Howe 70mins), Rebecca Holloway, Nadene Caldwell, Joely Andrews, Caragh Hamilton (sub Leyla McFarland 70mins), Kascie Weir (sub Emily Wilson 53mins). Subs not used: Kate Smith, Maddy Harvey-Clifford, Aimee Kerr, Kerry Beattie, Keri Halliday, Toni-Leigh Finnegan, Louise McDaniel.  

(irishfa.com)