Belgian women draw against Iceland in European Championship match with two penalties | NOW

The Belgian Women started the European Championship in England on Sunday with a draw against Iceland. After a difficult first half for the team of national coach Ives Serneels, the game ended in 1-1 at the Manchester City Academy Stadium.

Belgium looked uncomfortable in the opening phase of the game with Iceland, which failed to score the opening goal after more than half an hour from the penalty spot. Berglind Thorvaldsdóttir failed eye to eye with goalkeeper Nicky Evrard, after VAR Pol van Boekel had detected a handball.

In the second half, Iceland still took the lead via Thorvaldsdóttir, who somewhat made up for her missed penalty. The attacker, who was still briefly part of the PSV selection in 2019, headed in a cross at the far post.

After Iceland’s opening goal, Belgium came into the game better and also got a penalty. After a foul by Gunnhildur Jónsdóttir, the Swedish referee Tess Olofsson pointed decisively to the penalty. Justine Vanhaevermaet used the penalty and signed for the final score: 1-1.

Belgium takes part in the European Championship for the second time in England. Five years ago, the ‘Red Flames’ made their debut in the Netherlands, where they already stranded in the group stage in a group with Orange, Denmark and Norway.

The other game in group D will be played later on Sunday. France, which was quarter-finalist at the European Championship in the last three editions, will take on Italy at 9 p.m. The Italian team, finalist at the European Championships in 1993 and 1997, was eliminated in the group stage five years ago.