Ukraine 1 - 1 Iceland: Konoplyanka penalty miss proves costly as Ukraine are held by Iceland - 7M sport

Ukraine 1 - 1 Iceland: Konoplyanka penalty miss proves costly as Ukraine are held by Iceland



Posted Tuesday, September 06, 2016 by PA

Yevhen Konoplyanka missed a late penalty as Ukraine were forced to settle for a 1-1 draw against Iceland in front of an empty stadium in Kiev.

The opening 2018 World Cup qualifier at the Olympic Stadium, ordered to be played behind closed doors by FIFA because of a racism sanction, ended in a stalemate after Konoplyanka fired his spot-kick against a post seven minutes from time.

Iceland, managed solely by Heimir Hallgrimsson for the first time after Lars Lagerback stood down as joint-manager after Euro 2016, took the lead after just five minutes through Alfred Finnbogason.

The Augsburg striker collected a pass from Birkir Bjarnason and, although his first shot was blocked by Andriy Pyatov, he swept home the rebound from a tight angle following a fortunate ricochet.

Ukraine were level four minutes before half-time when Andriy Yarmolenko also benefited from a rebound.

Yaroslav Rakitskiy tested Hannes Thor Halldorsson from long range, but Yarmolenko was quickest to react to the Iceland goalkeeper's save to lash home a left-footed volley from 10 yards.

Chances were harder to come by after the break, with Ukraine midfielder Viktor Kovalenko the first to really test Halldorsson in the second half.

Iceland then breathed a sigh of relief as Konoplyanka missed from the spot after Arnor Ingvi Traustason fouled Bogdan Butko in the box with seven minutes remaining.



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