NSÍ II vs B71 - 1. Deild

A fascinating 1. Deild chapter awaits on October 10, 2026 when NSÍ II take on B71 at the home ground — two sides with plenty to play for and everything to prove. Altrincham vs Manchester United U21s highlights and reaction from pre-season fixture.

There is plenty riding on this 1. Deild encounter for NSÍ II and B71 alike, and neither will want to leave the home ground empty-handed. The hosts have struggled for consistency, LL in their last five pointing to a win rate of 29.17%. When a team wins 79.17% of their matches and posts W in their last five, as B71 have, even the longest trips hold no fear. One side has leaned on a miserly defence, the other on a free-scoring attack, and the meeting of those contrasting strengths promises an intriguing tactical subtext. Sky Sports columnist Laura Hunter analyses the big talking points from the first round of Women's Super League matches, bringing you closer to the key stories at the heart of the women's game.

The tactical battle could prove decisive. NSÍ II may lean on their home advantage to dictate the tempo, but B71 have shown they can be dangerous when allowed to play on their own terms. And there are still question marks even in attack, where they have an abundance of supporting forwards including Mbeumo, Cunha and Amad Diallo, but only one out-and-out striker in Sesko.

When Wilfried Kouassi Yao is on the pitch — 3 goals to his name this term — moments of magic are never far away, and the 1. Deild's top scorer will be central to how this one unfolds. How each side deals with the other's danger men — and who takes their chances when they come — will be central to the outcome. Iraola is on record as an admirer of the former Borussia Dortmund coach who honed his ideas in the Red Bull school where looking forward and pressing high up the pitch are viewed as non-negotiables.

Predicting an outright winner is no easy task given how little separates the two sides on paper. Neither side holds a clear edge, and a 3-3 draw would be a fitting reflection of the balance between them. Whatever the outcome, the 1. Deild fixture promises a meaningful contest with real implications for both clubs. And Fonseca does not place too much weight on the decision of Roberto Martinez to omit him from the World Cup squad in favour of his Benfica team-mate Tomas Araujo.