England’s Euro 2024 preparations suffer setback with loss to Iceland

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Andrew Feinberg

White House Correspondent

England’s Euro 2024 preparations suffered a setback as they lost 1-0 to Iceland in a friendly that saw John Stones forced off injured on Friday.

Stones did not return for the second half of England’s final warm-up game for the upcoming tournament after hurting his ankle in the opening stages at Wembley.

To compound the matter, the side were beaten after former Fulham player Jon Dagur Thorsteinsson scored in the 12th minute.

England open their Euro 2024 campaign against Serbia in Gelsenkirchen a week on Sunday.

Scotland, meanwhile, had to settle for a 2-2 draw with Finland in their final match before their tournament opener against hosts Germany next Friday.

An own goal from Arttu Hoskonen and a Lawrence Shankland header gave the Scots a 2-0 lead after an hour at Hampden Park but they could not hold on.

Benjamin Kallman pulled one back and Oliver Antman equalised from the penalty spot five minutes from time after a foul by veteran goalkeeper Craig Gordon.

Germany will head into their home event on the back of a victory after a last-gasp Pascal Gross effort completed a comeback against Greece in Monchengladbach.

Giorgos Masouras opened the scoring for the Greeks – who famously won Euro 2004 but are not involved this summer – but Arsenal’s Kai Havertz levelled after the break and Gross won it in the 89th minute.

Poland beat Ukraine 3-1 in a clash in Warsaw of two sides heading to Germany.

All the goals came in the first half with the Poles – who will face the Netherlands and France in the tournament – racing ahead through Sebastian Walukiewicz, Piotr Zielinski and Taras Romanczuk in the first half-hour before Artem Dovbyk replied.

Albania, who are in a daunting group with holders Italy, Spain and Croatia, claimed a morale-boosting 3-1 win over Azerbaijan. Nedim Bajrami gave them an early lead and late goals from Rey Manaj and Qazim Laci sealed it before a 90th-minute Musa Gurbanli consolation.

The Czech Republic, whose opponents in the tournament include Portugal, thrashed Malta 7-1 with two-goal Mojmir Chytil among their scorers.

Romania’s preparations for a group that includes Belgium and Ukraine ended with a goalless draw against Liechtenstein in Bucharest.