Iceland Women 0 England Women 1

Hannah Hampton had been a spectator for much of the first half against Iceland; the odd touch here and there, a pass to one of her defenders every so often. England had dominated possession and looked on course for a comfortable victory after Alessia Russo put them ahead in the 21st minute.

How quickly a game of football can change. Iceland were superior in the second period and would have equalised had it not been for Hampton’s heroics. The goalkeeper made three superb saves in the final 15 minutes to ensure England held on to their slender lead and maintained a 100 per cent record in World Cup qualifying.

Sarina Wiegman described Hampton as “world class” afterwards while Russo added: “Big moments kept us in it and she showed up three or four times to keep us in it and get us the three points. Sometimes you need someone to step up like that.”

From the sub-par pitch at Laugardalsvollur Stadium to the way England nearly capitulated in the second half, this was anything but pretty. Wiegman’s team are making a habit of winning ugly. They had produced a gritty performance to beat world champions Spain on Tuesday and needed a similar level of doggedness to get past Iceland.

The Lionesses might not be playing the best football, but they are winning, and that is the most important thing. They remain unbeaten in this World Cup qualifying group with two games to go. They face a trip to Spain on June 5 before finishing at home against Ukraine four days later.

“We have played four, we have 12 points, we are in the best possible position in this group,” Wiegman said. “It wasn’t so beautiful from our side, but very important.”

England have historically struggled in away fixtures in the Nations League and this was no different. They were held to a draw by Portugal in the last campaign and were beaten by Belgium. Iceland, ranked 17th in the world, are no pushovers and made life difficult when England hosted them at the City Ground last month. Wiegman’s side won 2-0 but did not score their second until the 78th minute and needed a brilliant save from Hampton to preserve their lead earlier in the game. They needed her on more than one occasion here.

This was the Lionesses’ 500th game, although the pitch they were playing on probably resembled the surface of their first in 1972.

England initially struggled to get to grips with it, with players often needing an extra touch to control the ball. But England did manage to open the scoring after Iceland had made a rare break forward. After winning back possession in their own half, Lauren Hemp played in Russo, who swivelled brilliantly before sending an arrowed finish into the bottom left corner.

Iceland pushed higher up the pitch in the second half and began to ask more questions of England’s defence, with numerous looping crosses and long throws hurled into their box.

Beth Mead should perhaps have made it more comfortable for England when she connected with a Hemp cross, but her header was superbly saved by Cecilia Runarsdottir.

That was an excellent stop, but it became the Hampton show in the closing stages.

First she denied Sandra Jessen from point-blank range before England somehow survived a goal-mouth scramble. Jessen hit the post before a combination of Niamh Charles and Hampton blocked Dilja Zolma’s follow up.

Hampton was then required to make another close-range save from Alexandra Johannsdottir as Iceland continued to bombard England late on.

“It’s my job isn’t it really? Let’s be honest,” Hampton said. “We’re in it as a team, I can’t be the one scoring goals but I can stop them.

“We’re a right pack, they call us, so Lessi [Alessia Russo] got a great finish at one end so I had to do my job at the other.”

Wiegman was getting more and more irate on the touchline and must be bewildered at how her team can beat the world champions on one night and struggle against a lower-ranked opponent four days later. The Lionesses are an enigma. But they are a team that constantly finds a way to win.

Match details

Iceland (4-3-3): Runarsdottir 7; Arnardottir 6, Viggosdottir 6, Sigurdardottir 6, Heiðarsdóttir 5 (Halldorsdottir 61); Hermannsdottir 5 (Antonsdottir 61), Johannsdottir 6, Asgeirsdottir 6; Jonsdottir 6, Boama 5 (Jessen 61), Zomers 6 (Eiriksdottir 86).
Substitutes: Ivarsdottir, Birkisdottir, Tryggvadottir, Vilhajalmsdottir, Georgsdottir, Olsfsdottir Gros, Palmadottir.
England (4-3-3): Hampton 8; Bronze 6, Williamson 6 (Wubben-Moy HT, 6), Morgan 6(Carter 89), Greenwood 6 (Charles 78); Walsh 6, Stanway 7, Blindkilde Brown 6 (Park 63); James 6 (Mead 63), Russo 6, Hemp 6.
Substitutes: Moorhouse, Roebuck, Le Tissier, Wubben-Moy, Hinds, Kelly, Kendall, Parkinson.
Goals: Russo 21.
Referee: Michalina Diakow (Poland).