Half-Time Report: Gylfi Sigurdsson brace gives Iceland lead over Netherlands

Gylfi Sigurdsson scored two goals in the first half to give Iceland a 2-0 lead over Netherlands in their Euro 2016 qualifier this evening.

The home side broke the deadlock inside the opening 10 minutes when Stefan de Vrij brought down Birkir Bjarnason in the box, allowing Sigurdsson to step up and fire the ball in from the penalty spot.

Gregory van der Wiel tried to set up an equaliser for the visitors, but his cross into the box was well cleared by the Iceland back four.

Robin van Persie also came close to getting the Dutch side back on level terms when Jermain Lens played the ball forward for the striker, but Hannes Halldorsson stopped his shot squeezing inside the right post.

The Netherlands continued to put Iceland under pressure, and had another effort on goal when Daley Blind curled in a cross for Arjen Robben, but his header drifted just wide of the left upright.

Despite the visitors' dominance, Iceland doubled their lead just before the break when a blocked Kolbeinn Sigthorsson effort fell to Sigurdsson on the edge of the box, and he volleyed it into the roof of the net.