Gareth Southgate was left feeling like England “got out of jail” after Raheem Sterling’s spot-kick secured a last-gasp victory as an otherwise drab Nations League clash in Iceland came to a dramatic conclusion.

Having waited 10 months to resume action due to the coronavirus pandemic, the rusty Three Lions were unable to return with a bang against the well-drilled hosts in Reykjavik.

Harry Kane’s wrongly disallowed early goal and Kyle Walker’s 70th-minute sending off for a second bookable offence made life difficult against Iceland, yet England managed to snatch a 1-0 win at the death.

While Southgate’s relief was palpable, Iceland manager Erik Hamren’s heartbreak was just as clear.

“I’ve been a coach over 40 years and this feels like one of the worst defeats,” he said.

“We knew we had to be good defending, we knew we were playing a good team and we knew we had to be really good together. And we did. Tactically we did.

“We didn’t create so much in offence, but I have to say, they didn’t either.”