On paper, Portugal would have looked a cert to take their ElectroCity FIFA 20 European Championships Group F encounter against Iceland on Tuesday night.
In reality, they never stood a chance.
Iceland, under Harry Kealy, were absolutely relentless as Calvin Scott Campion’s Portugal – defending European champions – were undone from the first whistle to the last.
And if you think nine goals by a side is a rarity, Germany put the same past France at the same time on Tuesday night.
It took just four minutes for Iceland to get off the mark, Gylfi Sigurdsson clipped by Moutinho in the Portuguese box, Alfred Finnbogason obliging with the resulting penalty to open his busy account for the night (4).
Four minutes later, Gudmundsson cut back for Finnbogason, free on the spot, to smash home from 12 yards (9).
A further four minutes on and we’ve got a third, the tempo in the opening exchanges relentless.
This time out Fernandes picks up the ball on the left flank, picking out Guedes on the edge of the Iceland area, setting Cristiano Ronaldo free to do what he does best and make it 2-1 with 13 minutes on the clock.
The comeback was short-lived, Finnbogason restoring the two goal cushion as (19), tapping home from six yards, before adding his fourth of the night with a thunderbolt from 12 yards (31).
Iceland were firing on all cylinders now and showing no signs of slowing down, Sigurdsson picking out Gudmundsson to fire across the goal, low and hard to the left to make it 5-1 (40).
From one Gudmundsson to another, Iceland decided they had to make it 6-1 (45+1) before half time to go in on an even number. We imagine that’s their excuse anyway.
The second half
Teams with that much of a cushion tend to take their foot off the gas. You’re five goals clear, you’ve got another 45 minutes to play. Sure let’s score more goals.
With another three to come Finnbogason threaded a sweet low ball through to Traustason with acres of space to play in, firing high into the top right of the goal (50).
We’re starting to see a few cheeky backheels to set up goals this week, Finnbogasson teeing up Gylfi Sigurdsson with one of his own from close range (68) to make it 8-1.
Everywhere you turned there seemed to be a blue jersey, Sigurdsson the driving force behind Iceland’s ninth and final goal for Finnabogason to cap a game to remember (79).
Cristiano would score again before full time but it was too little and far too late to restore any good look about the scoreboard.
Final score 9-2.