Own-goal ruins Iceland’s fairytale

Updated - October 18, 2016 01:14 pm IST

Published - June 19, 2016 01:32 am IST - MARSEILLE:

Iceland's Eidur Gudjohnsen reacts at the end of the Euro 2016 Group F soccer match between Iceland and Hungary at the Velodrome stadium in Marseille, France, Saturday, June 18, 2016. (AP Photo/Thanassis Stavrakis)

Iceland's Eidur Gudjohnsen reacts at the end of the Euro 2016 Group F soccer match between Iceland and Hungary at the Velodrome stadium in Marseille, France, Saturday, June 18, 2016. (AP Photo/Thanassis Stavrakis)

Iceland was within two minutes of a famous victory on its first appearance at a major tournament on Saturday only for Birkir Saevarsson to put through his own net to hand Hungary a 1-1 draw that leaves Group F wide open.

Iceland had taken the lead with a Gylfi Sigurdsson penalty six minutes before halftime after Tamas Kadar brought down Aaron Gunnarsson after a goalmouth scramble, with Hungary keeper Gabor Kiraly at fault for spilling a simple catch at the corner.

Hungary dominated possession for long but rarely threatened until Nemanja Nikolic slid a low cross over from the right and full back Saevarsson bundled the ball into his own net.

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