Northern Ireland 1-0 Iceland: ‘Euro 2016 similarities but youthful NI forging own path’

“I think back of when we were successful in 2016 and we were really, really hard to beat.

“We knew what we were good at and I see similarities in this team. There are a lot more legs and more youthfulness now, but there’s a similarity in being really hard to beat.”

As a former Northern Ireland Euro 2016 favourite and Premier League player with Leeds United, Stuart Dallas knows what it takes to be successful.

Now retired, he’s watching Michael O’Neill’s “new era” Northern Ireland gear up for World Cup qualifying, and he likes what he is seeing.

After a 2-1 defeat in Copenhagen to Denmark, O’Neill’s young side had to dig deep to beat Iceland at Windsor Park.

After Isaac Price’s latest moment of brilliance lit up a drab first-half, the game turned when Brodie Spencer was sent off in the 57th minute and Iceland piled on the pressure.

It was a new challenge for his young team and, as Dallas adds, “they had to show a different side to them”.

It was a test they passed with flying colours.

“This team have a strong character and desire when things are going against them to stay in the game,” said O’Neill.

“There’s a lot of things we can do better, but we can’t ask any more in terms of character and defending as a team and a unit.”