Kazakhstan 0-3 Iceland - EURO 2016

    

Gudhjohnsen propels Iceland to Kazakhstan win

Eidur Gudjohnsen's first international goal since September 2009 helped the visitors keep up the pressure at the top of Group A.

Returning Eidur Gudjohnsen marks 79th international appearance with 26th goal
• The 36-year-old's first Iceland strike since September 2009 
• Birkir Bjarnason heads second; his late shot is deflected in for Iceland's third
• Kazakhstan still without a win; Iceland has 12 points from five games• Next qualifiers: Kazakhstan v Turkey, Iceland v Czech Republic (12 June)

Eidur Gudjohnsen marked his return to international football with a tidy finish as Iceland were comfortable winners in Kazakhstan in UEFA EURO 2016 qualifying Group A.

Tempted out of retirement, the Bolton Wanderers FC striker slotted away Iceland's opener in the 20th minute, Birkir Bjarnason heading in their second and adding a crowning third in the final seconds as his side moved on to 12 points. Kazakhstan made more of a fight of it after the interval, but a Renat Abdulin header that came back off the woodwork was to be their most tangible reward.

Goalkeeper Andrei Sidelnikov's misplaced clearance let Iceland in for their first goal. It went straight to Johann Gudmundsson, who chested down and slipped the ball in for Gudjohnsen, and the 36-year-old took a touch before finding the net. Iceland's second was also straightforward, Bjarnason rising unmarked to convert Gylfi Sigurdsson's free-kick.

Kári Árnason might have made it 3-0 before the break, heading off target from a Sigurdsson corner, but Kazakhstan showed more spirit in the second period. Abdulin headed against the upright from Bauyrzhan Islamkhan's free-kick just after the hour, the ball bouncing back off Iceland goalkeeper Hannes Halldórsson before being cleared to safety.

Bjarnason scored Iceland's third a minute into added time, his effort from the edge of the box taking a huge deflection off Yermek Kuantayev.

MATCH STATISTICS

Kazakhstan

Iceland

	0 Goals scored 3
	0 Possession (%) 0
	9 Total attempts 14
	3 on target 7
	4 off target 6
	2 blocked 1
	1 against woodwork 0
	3 Corners 3
	0 Offsides 1
	2 Yellow cards 1
	0 Red Cards 0
	11 Fouls committed 12
	12 Fouls suffered 11
	0 Passes 0
	0 completed 0

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LINEUPS

	Kazakhstan		Iceland
22	Sidelnikov (GK)	1	Halldórsson (GK)
3	Gurman 67	2	B. Sævarsson
4	Vorotnikov	6	Sigurdsson
5	Abdulin 80	7	Gudmundsson
8	Smakov (C)	8	B. Bjarnason 32 90+1
9	Islamkhan	9	Sigthórsson 70
10	Tagybergen	10	G. Sigurdsson
13	Nurgaliyev 55 56	14	Árnason
16	Suyumbayev	17	A. Gunnarsson (C) 72
17	Tazhimbetov	22	Gudjohnsen 20 83
23	Logvinenko	23	A. Skúlason 63
Substitutes
1	Plotnikov (GK)	13	I. Jónsson (GK)
12	Pokatilov (GK)	12	Kristinsson (GK)
2	Kuantayev 67 70	3	Jónasson
6	Akhmetov	4	H. Magnússon
7	Konysbayev 56	5	Fjóluson
11	Schetkin 80	11	Finnbogason 83
14	Zhangylyshbay	15	Bödvarsson 70
15	Beysebekov	16	Pálsson
18	Shomko	18	H. Hauksson
19	Darabayev	19	Gíslason
20	Khizhnichenko	20	Hallfredsson 72
21	Kozhamberdy	21	Kjartansson
Coaches
Yuri Krasnozhan (RUS)		Heimir Hallgrímsson (ISL) Lars Lagerbäck (SWE)
Referee
Tasos Sidiropoulos (GRE)