FEARLESS IRELAND TARGET SHOCK OVER HOSTS

ANNECY, France: Iceland’s joint coach Lars Lagerback has never lost to England and he wants his players to maintain his unbeaten run and continue their sensational streak at Euro 2016 when the two sides play in the last 16 on Monday.

Lagerback faced the English six times as Sweden coach and now hopes Iceland, the tournament’s surprise team, will stretch that run.

European minnows Iceland capped a sensational group stage campaign with a 2-1 win over Austria on Wednesday to advance to the knockout stage in their first tournament appearance.

“We played them six times when I was coach of Sweden and never lost. We hope to keep that going,” Lagerback told reporters.

“We have shown we are getting better and better every year, we are a team that is difficult to break down. Hopefully we can keep on going but we expect a really tough game.”

Iceland finished second on five points in Group F behind Hungary on goal difference to tee up an encounter with Roy Hodgson’s team in Nice on Monday.

“Of course it would be nice to keep the good record against one of the best football countries in the world going,” he said.

The win over Austria sparked wild celebrations back in Iceland but Lagerback said his players were far more reserved.

“It was rather calm (in the changing room). The players were very tired after leaving the pitch. The flight home was calm and the bus trip was calm and the dinner was calm. You could feel everyone was very happy.”

England coach Hodgson is a longtime friend of Lagerback, with the two men meeting back in 1976 when the 68-yearold Englishman was starting his coaching career at Sweden’s Halmstads BK.

“One of my friends, I regard him as that,” said the Swede. “I got to know him in ’76. Roy is taking everything seriously. He is one of the better coaches I met and I have a lot of respect for him.”

Yet he is hoping to get one over his friend and secure a major scalp.

“We have a realistic chance. We can put some questions to the English team, I don’t know how good questions they will be. Iceland are always the underdogs. The first round of a competition is nice but this is a bit special.”

Asked whether Iceland could emulate the surprise European Championship victory of outsiders Greece in 2004, he said: “You always have a realistic chance to win football games. Greece was a really, really big surprise. If we win it I would be a little surprised.”

“I’m not afraid of the England match,” joint-coach Heimir Hallgrimsson told a news conference after midfielder Arnor Traustason had scored with the last kick of the game to beat Austria.

“Icelanders know everything about English football. We have to have our best game but we know that even though Iceland can have the best performance we’ve ever had, we can still lose against nations like England.”

Man of the match against Austria, Kari Arnason, who set up Jon Bodvarsson for their 18th minute opener with a flicked header, also welcomed the opportunity to play against Wayne Rooney’s men.

“I have always supported England in the big international tournaments when we haven’t been playing,” said the 33-year-old former Plymouth Argyle and Rotherham United midfielder.

“It’s a dream come true. We will go into this game with full force to get a result. We believe in our ability.” – Reuters TOULOUSE: Wednesday evening’s dramatic Euro 2016 group stage finale concluded an engrossing opening round that was tight and tense as the expanded new-look European Championship passed its first test.

Critics of the tournament’s expansion from 16 to 24 teams will point to the lowest goals-to-game ratio of any Euros since 1992 (1.92) as evidence that lower entry standards have diluted quality.

Yet Euro 2016 has not been short of excitement even if the goals have not exactly flowed.

“It may be the best we’ve had,” was the bold claim of Uefa competitions director Giorgio Marchetti. “There were question marks about the format, but we’re having an open and competitive tournament.”

Despite some defensive teams, contests have largely been absorbing and the extended format has not resulted in one-sided or inconsequential matches. For the first time since 1996, no team won all three group games.

“There have been fewer goals,” said Marchetti, “but if more goals means more matches ending 3-0 or 4-0, the interest isn’t really there.”

Of the 69 goals scored, 27.5 percent have come from the 80th minute onwards as contests have been heavy on late drama.

“I’ve found these nil-nils and onenils very exciting with teams fighting to the end,” Marchetti added. “The pattern of late goals changing games in the last minute is one of the successes of the tournament.

“It has added drama and excitement,” said Danny Murphy, a former England midfielder who is a TV analyst. “Long may it continue.”

Albania held France for 90 minutes before succumbing, tiny Iceland have enjoyed a fairy tale debut. Northern Ireland scraped through thanks to their first victory at a major tournament since 1982.

Only two teams had nothing to play for heading into the final round of group fixtures, making for a dramatic series of deciders.

“The expansion of this tournament hasn’t diluted it,” argued Northern Ireland coach Michael O’Neill before the conclusion of the group stage.

“We go into the final round of games with so many options.”

The thrilling Group F deciders ensured the opening round ended with a flourish, as Cristiano Ronaldo finally made his mark with two goals as Portugal drew 3-3 in a thriller with Hungary and Iceland h ne half of a now unbalanced-looking draw have 20 major titles between them, compared with zero in the other.

Nonetheless, the refreshing prospect of eight nations, only two of whom have featured in a major final before, competing in unpredictable knockout ties for a place in the final blows the tournament wide open.

PARIS: Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s international career did not end in glory at the European Championship but the striker said he was proud to have represented Sweden.

Ibrahimovic, Sweden’s all-time top scorer with 62 goals in 116 games, netted 11 of the 19 goals in their Euro 2016 qualification campaign.

However, he was unable to add to his tally in France as Sweden bowed out of the tournament on Wednesday with 1-0 defeat to Belgium.

“It feels heavy. It feels disappointing but at the same time I enjoyed it,” the 34-year-old told reporters in France. “We had the possibility of playing in the European Championships, I represented Sweden so at the same time I am proud.

“This was my last game and I have many fantastic memories of the national team. It is a nice story as where I came from, what people called the little ghetto, I made the country my country. Sweden.”

Ibrahimovic left Ligue 1 champions Paris St Germain at the end of last season and has been linked to a move to Manchester United.

AMSTERDAM: Guus Hiddink, who led Russia to the 2008 European Championship semi-finals, said he would be happy to return to his former side as they look to put the misery of an early Euro 2016 exit behind them and prepare for the World Cup in two years’ time.

The Dutchman, who took on the role of interim Chelsea manager after Jose Mourinho’s sacking last year, has been linked with the job in the wake of Russia’s poor campaign in France. Russia drew with England before losing to Slovakia and Wales to finish bottom of the group.

“If I can make a contribution, I’ll will be happy to do so,” he told Dutch broadcaster NOS. “Russia sit in a particularly complicated situation, not only in the sporting arena but also in terms of their image,” said the 69-year-old, who coached Russia from 2006 to 2010.

“Sport can help them, although it is perhaps my idealistic thinking, to project a better image out to the world.”

Russia are looking for a new coach after Leonid Slutski said he would not continue after they were eliminated on Monday.

“I think after a tournament like this, you need someone else to take charge of the national side at major tournaments,” he said. – Reuters PARIS: Germany and Italy have been beaten by Ireland recently and one of the surprise packages of Euro 2016 are now targeting an upset over hosts France in the last 16.

A low-key draw with Sweden and a thrashing from Belgium left Ireland on the verge of leaving Euro 2016 early, but a stunning late victory over Italy in their last group game has set up a last 16 clash with hosts France – and they see no reason not to progress further.

“I do not think we have anything to fear,” said Robbie Brady, whose goal edged out Italy 1-0.

“They are a top-class team but if we can stick together… we can hurt anybody. We can go as far as we allow ourselves in this tournament.”

France topped Group A with seven points – having only conceded one goal – and will be strong favourites for tomorrow’s match in Lyon. Ireland progressed as one of the four strongest third-placed sides.

While Ireland’s last win was against a second-string Italian side, in qualifying they took four points from World Cup winners Germany including a famous victory over Joachim Loew’s side in Dublin.

“We will just have to prepare as hard as we can because they will be a tough outfit but if we click on the night we will give them a difficult game,” Brady said.

It’s a rematch of the controversial 2010 World Cup play-off in which France defeated Ireland thanks to a winning goal created by a Thierry Henry handball.

But revenge is not on the mind of veteran striker Robbie Keane, who scored in the second leg of the tie.

“Yeah I was there,” he said. “I will not think about that for one second. How long ago was it? Seven years… move on.”

France coach Didier Deschamps has a settled defence in front of keeper Hugo Lloris but has rotated his midfielders and forwards in an attempt to find the strongest combination from a huge array of attacking talent.

Paul Pogba, Antoine Griezmann, Anthony Martial, Kingsley Coman and Olivier Giroud are all scrambling for spots against Ireland with the one attacking certainty likely West Ham’s creative midfielder Dimitri Payet.

He scored sensational goals against both Romania and Albania and, though he only made a late cameo, smacked the bar against Switzerland.

“Since the start of the tournament I have felt really good,” Payet said. “I am feeling confident and that’s allowed me to play without pressure and to put in good performances.”

Laurent Koscielny and Adil Rami have formed Deschamps’ firstchoice pairing in the middle of the back four.

“Offensively we can always improve something,” Koscielny said. “The most important thing is we remain confident. It doesn’t matter who we play against, we have to win.”

Rami added: “We’re now in the last 16, this is a different thing. [But] it’s still the same, we have to play football out there.”

LILLE: Germany can take comfort from their defensive solidity at Euro 2016 even if their strike force has yet to catch fire at the other end, centre back Mats Hummels said.

Germany, who topped Group C with seven points, beat Ukraine 2-0 in their first game before being held to a goalless draw against Poland.

They beat Northern Ireland 1-0 in their final group game on Tuesday to set up a last-16 clash against Slovakia tomorrow, having not conceded a goal in the tournament.

Germany’s goals against Ukraine came from central defender Shkodran Mustafi and holding midfielder Bastian Schweinsteiger, with striker Mario Gomez scoring the only goal against Northern Ireland.

“We are where we wanted to be – it was what we had to manage,” Hummels told reporters in France.

“We only scored three goals, if you want to put it like that, but we didn’t concede one, so that’s a good basis for the rounds to come.

“We know it’s our job to win the one-on-ones against opposing strikers.

“We are very confident in these duels because we know our quality, and that is really something you can build the team on.” – Reuters