Yesterday was a big day for Iceland, and especially for their starting eleven, who took to the field in Saint Etienne to play Cristiano Ronaldo’s Portugal. We watched the game in reopened concert venue Nasa, and at the UEFA Fanzone on Ingólfstorg, and live-tweeted a couple of thoughts.
I picture #ISL players whispering this to opposing players before the game. @MenInBlazers @rogbennett pic.twitter.com/vbb0ZOAR0p
— BC Thomas (@bcthomas) June 14, 2016
No pressure, like.
And now the unfortunate Portuguese will feel the mighty thunder of Þór's Icelandic warriors. #Euro16
— Reykjavík Grapevine (@rvkgrapevine) June 14, 2016
It wasn’t long before Iceland’s Nordic dominance started to assert itself.
You can see the fear on our puny opposition's faces. They know the Norse hellfire that awaits them. #Euro2016
— Reykjavík Grapevine (@rvkgrapevine) June 14, 2016
Gylfi unleashes a warning thunderbolt that nearly tears off the goalkeeper's tiny hand. Nice. #Euro2016
— Reykjavík Grapevine (@rvkgrapevine) June 14, 2016
It got a bit heated.
ARE YOU FUCKING KIDDING ME THE REF'S FUCKING BLIND, JESUS CHRIST. I mean, uh, a close call on the edge of the box there.
— Reykjavík Grapevine (@rvkgrapevine) June 14, 2016
Cristiano was sweating from the start.
Lol, #Ronaldo. Lol. The nerves are showing. He is scared of the mighty thrashing that is to come. #Euro2016
— Reykjavík Grapevine (@rvkgrapevine) June 14, 2016
Portugal players seemed to go down easily, to put it mildly.
Even the breath of one mighty viking is enough to fell that Portuguese attacker, who fell without being touched. #Euro2016
— Reykjavík Grapevine (@rvkgrapevine) June 14, 2016
Iceland tried a bit of failed tiki-taka.
That was almost, dare I say… an #Icealona-ish passing move. #Euro2016
— Reykjavík Grapevine (@rvkgrapevine) June 14, 2016
The Icelandic goalie was having a strong game.
A weak shot from one of the wilting manboys of Portugal stopped with a flick of one mighty Icelandic hand. #Euro2016
— Reykjavík Grapevine (@rvkgrapevine) June 14, 2016
When star midfielder Gylfi Sigurðsson went down after a nasty stamp, there was a collective gasp in the room…
Gylfi has bones made of solid basalt. Don't worry. #euro2016
— Reykjavík Grapevine (@rvkgrapevine) June 14, 2016
Óðinn's breath propelled our heroic goalie to swat away that weak-ass header. #Euro2016
— Reykjavík Grapevine (@rvkgrapevine) June 14, 2016
People all around Europe were getting behind Iceland.
68K tweets thus far about #ISL … and only approx 330K people living in Iceland. #EURO2016 , @rvkgrapevine
— Steven Bright (@brightsteven22) June 14, 2016
Fair to say this is an alternative perspective of the Iceland game from @rvkgrapevine. https://t.co/aiFTo6X51M
— Moments UK (@UKMoments) June 14, 2016
Portugal were dropping like flies…
Even the thunderous footsteps of Bjarnason approaching are enough to make the entire Portuguese defence collapse. #Euro2016 #ISL
— Reykjavík Grapevine (@rvkgrapevine) June 14, 2016
Our goalie is boss, just sayin'. #Euro2016 #ISL
— Reykjavík Grapevine (@rvkgrapevine) June 14, 2016
When will our secret bench weapon be unleashed? No, not the power of the god Týr—the volcanic force of Eiður Guðjohnsen. #Euro2016 #ISL
— Reykjavík Grapevine (@rvkgrapevine) June 14, 2016
Then it happened. Portugal went 1-0 up.
— Reykjavík Grapevine (@rvkgrapevine) June 14, 2016
Iceland withheld a sustained bout of pressure from the Portugal side.
Now we really have them on the ropes. #Euro2016 #ISL
— Reykjavík Grapevine (@rvkgrapevine) June 14, 2016
Iceland pushed forward, and Portugal pushed back.
STONEWALL PENALTY SEND HIM OFF BEFORE HE IS SMITED BY LIGHTNING, IT’S FOR HIS OWN SAFETY. #Euro2016 #ISL
— Reykjavík Grapevine (@rvkgrapevine) June 14, 2016
The half ended at 1-0.
PREPARE THE HALF-TIME BRENNIVÍN. #ISL #Euro2016
— Reykjavík Grapevine (@rvkgrapevine) June 14, 2016
We did! https://t.co/o4jcwz3ojc
— Brennivín America (@BrennivinUSA) June 15, 2016
We went out in the sun to drink some rum and ginger, and were gifted a Carlsberg flag-cape (flape) by Grapevine staffer Helgi. It was to be powerful totem for the second half.
People were starting to listen…
So, this commentary is grabbing attention. https://t.co/NFN1LsuFng
— Itsmotherswork (@itsmotherswork) June 14, 2016
Shit got serious! ??? #aframisland https://t.co/x1EPb93e4D
— Miranda Ashitey (@mizzieashitey) June 14, 2016
And the second half began!
AND NOW WE SMITE THEM INTO TINY PIECES OF DUST & DESTROY THEIR GOAL WITH A BALL SET ON FIRE BY OUR VOLCANIC THUNDER. #Euro2016 #ISL
— Reykjavík Grapevine (@rvkgrapevine) June 14, 2016
It wasn’t long before Birkir Bjarnason lashed home Iceland’s first ever major tournament goal. Practical the whole country leapt to their feet and screamed…
YEEEEEEEEEEEEEEAAAAAAAAAAAAAJHH
HHHHHHHHHHHTHJJJHJKHKJHH— Reykjavík Grapevine (@rvkgrapevine) June 14, 2016
Ahem. If Twitter is inviting you to translate that goal tweet from Turkish, tell them it was a Viking battle roar. #ISL #Euro2016
— Reykjavík Grapevine (@rvkgrapevine) June 14, 2016
Great finish pic.twitter.com/5G7SX5qNCh
— Messi World (@MessiWorId) June 14, 2016
We made the BBC television coverage.
Meanwhile, our defence was solid. Ish.
Now that defending was made of solid Icelandic… birch saplings. We don't have any oak. #ISL #Euro2016
— Reykjavík Grapevine (@rvkgrapevine) June 14, 2016
Do they even know how close they are to certain destruction? #ISL #Euro2016
— Reykjavík Grapevine (@rvkgrapevine) June 14, 2016
Oh no! The picture was knocked out at Nasa, and apparently, all over Iceland. We decamped to Ingólfstorg to watch in the sun.
Deep in the bowels of the earth, an ancient power stirs. Eiður is warming up. #ISL #Euro2016
— Reykjavík Grapevine (@rvkgrapevine) June 14, 2016
Iceland were defending well.
GOALIE LIKE THE CLIFF FACE AT DYRHÓLAEY THE ONLY THING THAT WILL DESTROY HIM IS CENTURIES OF COASTAL EROSION. #ISL #Euro206
— Reykjavík Grapevine (@rvkgrapevine) June 14, 2016
Aron Gunnarsson was the hero of the game, sending in tackle after tackle on the ineffectual star Cristiano Ronaldo.
Is it too early to call best beard of #Euro2016? #Gunnarson #killinit #101boys #Isl
— Reykjavík Grapevine (@rvkgrapevine) June 14, 2016
NO PENALTY, NO PARTY pic.twitter.com/XCpEvCAAm4
— Messi World (@MessiWorId) June 14, 2016
After a tense three minutes of added time, the final whistle blew, and Icelanders celebrated deliriously in the streets of downtown Reykjavík.
This is but the first chapter of #EuroSaga. Now, our players frolic in the French fields and regain their heavenly energy. #ISL #Euro2016
— Reykjavík Grapevine (@rvkgrapevine) June 14, 2016
Can't wait for the next Iceland match so there's more of this commentary. https://t.co/4kratdAvt5
— Cassandra Cavallaro (@cascav) June 14, 2016
Some of these tweets got over 900 RTs, and we were told Grapevine was trending in Edinburgh.
Reykjavík Grapevine, @rvkgrapevine is now trending in #Edinburgh https://t.co/BJTZvt8tfC
— Trendsmap Edinburgh (@TrendsEdinburgh) June 14, 2016
#ISL had a great game today, but best game commentary from @rvkgrapevine https://t.co/8K6x48SbcW
— Brian Neary (@nearmiss41) June 14, 2016
Didn't know I gave a shit about football until https://t.co/WVsHwFfh4u
— Ewawatch (@EwaSR) June 14, 2016
Congratulations @rvkgrapevine probably the best football commentary I've ever read! ⚽ #ISL
— MiMi (@MiMiSweetTreats) June 15, 2016
Team @rvkgrapevine – I can't wait for the next match to hear what they have to say! #ISL #EURO2016 https://t.co/iLpumuP6AX
— Cindy Murray (@C_L_Murray) June 15, 2016
Cristiano Ronaldo wasn’t happy about the crushing 1-1 loss, and proceeded to unleash some sour grapes upon Iceland’s heroic minnows, despite it being their first ever game in an international tournament finals.
Bad loser Ronaldo whines about Iceland's 1-1 victory over Portugal. https://t.co/yi3anYsvWH
— Reykjavík Grapevine (@rvkgrapevine) June 14, 2016
But Gunnarsson’s face says it all.
U mad @Cristiano? #em2016 #emísland #UEFAEURO2016 #isl ? pic.twitter.com/2W1fgRawRl
— Hörður Ágústsson (@horduragustsson) June 14, 2016
And now, having earned a famous first Euro group-stage point, Iceland march onwards! For our predictions on what’ll happen next, read our guide to Iceland’s path to certain victory at Euro 2016.
In case you don't realise how incredible it is that a country with a population of just over 320K is in #Euro2016 https://t.co/Lx0DpVpJX1
— Andrew Fraser (@Arfness) June 15, 2016
"We've seen all 24 teams, but none more spirited than Iceland" say the @BBC commentators.
Now I'm getting really excited to go to France.— Hrefna Helga (Habbi) (@HrefnaHelga) June 14, 2016
"We've seen all 24 teams, but none more spirited than Iceland" say the @BBC commentators.
Now I'm getting really excited to go to France.— Hrefna Helga (Habbi) (@HrefnaHelga) June 14, 2016
And now to prepare for battle against Hungary!
Also read: “Why Now?” Iceland’s Football Insiders On The Icelandic Game.
Also read: Football On The Edge Of The World—An In-Depth Look At Icelandic Football
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