CARSON, Calif. (Feb. 17, 2022) – Iceland scored before one minute had elapsed in the opening game of the 2022 SheBelieves Cup, presented by Visa, and that was all the Scandinavians would need in the 1-0 victory over 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup co-hosts New Zealand.
Former Portland Thorns FC and Florida State Seminoles player Dagný Brynjarsdóttir tallied the lone goal of the match after just 48 seconds off a corner kick from the left side. New Zealand goalkeeper Erin Nayler got a fist to the cross, but her attempted clear was poor and she punched the ball into the ground. The ball bounced off defender Guðrún Arnardóttir, who was positioned just outside the six-yard box, and back toward the net. The ball then skimmed off the thigh of a New Zealand player before Brynjarsdóttir bundled it into the left corner for the fastest goal in SheBelieves Cup history.
Iceland had the better of the play and the chances in the first half, outshooting the Ferns 8-0 before the break and 12-7 for the match. New Zealand’s first shot came in the 48th minute and while the Kiwis faired better on the attack in the second half, they could only muster two total shots on goal. Iceland only had three shots on goal, but made the first minute score count.
Brynjarsdóttir, a towering midfielder, and defender Glódís Perla Viggósdóttir both hit 98 caps in this match and could reach 100 in the tournament finale on Feb. 23 in Texas.
Iceland used all six subs in the second half while New Zealand used four. One of those New Zealand subs was defender Rebekah Stott who returned to the field for the Football Ferns for the first time following her successful battle with Hodgkin’s lymphoma.
The 2022 SheBelieves Cup resumes on Sunday, Feb. 20, with another doubleheader at Dignity Health Sports Park. The USA will play the first match of the day against New Zealand (Noon PT on ABC and PrendeTV), while the Czech Republic will face Iceland (3 p.m. PT on ESPN3) in the second match of the day. The tournament concludes on Wednesday, Feb. 23 at Toyota Stadium in Frisco, Texas, with New Zealand taking on the Czech Republic (5 p.m. CT on ESPN3) and the USA facing Iceland in the nightcap (8 p.m. CT on ESPN2 and PrendeTV).
- 2022 SHEBELIEVES CUP MATCH REPORT -
Match: Iceland Women’s National Team vs. New Zealand Women’s National Team
Date: February 17, 2022
Competition: 2022 SheBelieves Cup
Venue: Dignity Health Sports Park; Carson, Calif.
Attendance: 2,078
Kickoff: 5 p.m. local (8 p.m. ET)
Weather: 65 degrees, sunny
Scoring Summary: 1 2 F
ISL 1 0 1
NZL 0 0 0
ISL - Dagný Brynjarsdóttir 1st minute
Lineups:
ISL: 13-Cecilía Rán Rúnarsdóttir; 2-Sif Atladóttir (20-Ásta Eir Árnadóttir, 67), 4-Glódís Perla Viggósdóttir, 18-Guðrún Arnardóttir (15-Alexandra Jóhannsdóttir, 67), 11-Hallbera Guðný Gísladóttir; 8-Karólína Lea Vilhjálmsdóttir (6-Ingibjörg Sigurðardóttir, 67), 5-Gunnhildur Jónsdóttir (Capt.) (7-Karitas Tómasdóttir, 85), 10-Dagný Brynjarsdóttir; 23-Sveindís Jane Jónsdóttir, 9-Berglind Björg Þorvaldsdóttir (21-Svava Rós Guðmundsdóttir, 46), 17-Agla María Albersdóttir (16-Amanda Andradóttir, 85)
Substitutions Not Used: 1-Sandra Sigurðardóttir, 3-Elísa Viðarsdóttir, 12-Telma Ívarsdóttir, 14-Selma Sól Magnúsdóttir, 19-Natasha Moraa Anasi, 22-Ída María Hermannsdóttir
Head coach: Thorsteinn Halldorsson
NZL: 1-Erin Nayler; 4-CJ Bott, 5-Meikayla Moore (10-Jacqui Hand, 87), 8-Abby Erceg, 7-Ali Riley (Capt.); 15-Daisy Cleverley (6-Rebekah Stott, 74), 2-Ria Perecival, 14-Katie Bowen; 13-Paige Satchell, 17-Hannah Wilkinson (9-Gabi Rennie, 55), 11-Olivia Chance (12-Betsy Hassett, 55)
Substitutions Not Used: 3-Claudia Bunge, 16-Emma Rolston, 18-Ava Collins, 19-Elizabeth Anton, 20-Malia Steinmetz, 21-Victoria Esson, 22-Ashleigh Ward, 23-Lily Alfed
Head coach: Jitka Klimkova
Stats Summary: ISL / NZL
Shots:12 / 7
Shots on Goal: 3 / 2
Saves: 2 / 2
Corner Kicks: 6 / 7
Fouls: 8 / 7
Offside: 1 / 0
Misconduct Summary:
NZL - Olivia Chance (Caution) 19th minute
ISL - Dagný Brynjarsdóttir (Caution) 60
Officials:
Referee: Katja Koroleva (USA)
Assistant Referee 1: Katy Nesbitt (USA)
Assistant Referee 2: Felisha Mariscal (USA)
4th Official: Laura Rodriguez (USA)
2022 SheBelieves Cup Standings
|
TEAM |
GP |
W |
L |
D |
GF |
GA |
GD |
PTS |
|
ISL |
1 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
+1 |
3 |
|
USA |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
CZE |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
NZL |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
-1 |
0 |