August 2012 Round-Up:
August 31, 2012
HB defender Vagnur Mohr Mortensen retires after broken leg
29 year-old HB defender Vagnur Mortensen, who suffered a broken fibula in the match against B36 Tórhavn on Wednesday, has announced his retirement from football. His shinbone has been so badly damaged that he won’t be able to play football on a high level again, the sad news is.
Vagnur said that on a positive note it was the best way to end his career [winning against arch-rivals B36 in the Tórshavn derby in his last match].
Vagnur made his debut for the senior team in 1999 and has in total played 155 matches for HB in the top division where he also had some periodical breaks from top football. During the 13 years since his debut, he has won 4 league titles with HB. His 89th minute goal against ÍF Fuglafjørður in 2006 which secured HB an unlikely league title will live fresh in the memory of every HB supporter for a long, long time.
Vagnur also won 4 caps for the Faroe Islands.
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NSÍ Runavík defender Viljormur Davidsen joins Norwegian 3rd tier club FK Jerv
21 year-old NSÍ defender Viljiormur Davidsen, who recently joined NSÍ and played only 3 matches for them, has decided to move on again and has joined Norwegian 3rd level club FK Jerv. With 8 matches remaining of the league, Jerv is placed in the relegation zone, a point above the drop line.
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EB/Streymur coach Heðin Askham quits at the end of season
EB/Streymur coach Heðin Askham has told that he will take a year’s break from football at the end of the season to have his batteries recharged.
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B36 defender Odmar Færø returns to Scotland
B36 defender Odmar Færø, who has been home in the summer playing for B36, has returned to his study in Scotland where he will play his football for Forfar Athletic Football Club in the Scottish League Division 2 where they are currently placed 3rd in the league after 3 rounds.
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Germany’s team against the Faroe Islands has been selected:
Goalkeepers:
Manuel Neuer, FC Bayern Munchen
Marc-Andre ter Stegen, Borrussia Monchengladbach
Ron-Robert Zieler, Hannover 96
Defenders:
Holger Badstuber, FC Bayern Munchen
Jerome Boateng, FC Bayern Munchen
Benedikt Höwedes, FC Schalke 04
Mats Hummels, Borussia Dortmund
Philipp Lahm, FC Bayern Munchen
Per Mertesacker, FC Arsenal
Marcel Schmelzer, Borussia Dortmund
Midfielders:
Lars Bender, Bayer 04 Leverkusen
Julian Draxler, FC Schalke 04
Mario Götze, Borussia Dortmund
Ilkay Gundogan, Borussia Dortmund
Sami Khedira, Real Madrid
Toni Kroos, FC Bayern Munchen
Thomas Müller, FC Bayern Munchen
Mesut Özil, Real Madrid
Lukas Podolski, FC Arsenal
Marco Reus, Borussia Dortmund
Andre Schürrle, Bayer 04 Leverkusen
Forward:
Miroslav Klose, Lazio Rom
Of those 22, only Miroslav Close was in the team that, with some luck, beat the Faroe Islands 2-1 in 2002. The Faroes hit the post-out in the dying moments...
Three of the players in the Faroese team also played in the 2002-match: Jákup Mikkelsen, Fróði Benjaminsen and Hjalgrím Elttør, who was the one who hit the post 10 years ago.
The match will be played on AWD Arena in Hannover on Friday 7 September.
August 27, 2012
Faroe Islands coach Lars Olsen has selected a 19-man squad for the qualifier against Germany in Hanover on 7 September.
Three changes have been made from the team that played against Iceland on 15 August. Johan Troest Davidsen (def), Pætur Dam Jacobsen (mid) and Finnur Justinussen (forw) have been excluded and replaced by Erling Jacobsen (def), Súni Olsen (mid) and Klæmint Olsen (forw).
The full squad:
Goalkeepers:
Gunnar Nielsen, Manchester City (Eng)
Kristian Joensen, NSÍ Runavík
Jákup Mikkelsen, ÍF Fuglafjørður
Defenders:
Rene S. Joensen, Brøndby IF (Den)
Jónas Tór Næs, Valur (Ice)
Pól Jóhannus Justinussen, NSÍ Runavík
Odmar Færø, Fartfour (Sco) / B36 Tórshavn
Rógvi Baldvinsson, Ålgaard (Nor)
Erling Jacobsen, Víkingur
Midfielders:
Fróði Benjaminsen, HB Tórshavn
Súni Olsen, B36 Tórshavn
Hallur Hansson, HB Tórshavn
Hjalgrím Elttør, KÍ Klaksvík
Christian Lamhauge Holst, Silkeborg IF (Den)
Forwards:
Daniel Udsen, Helsingør (Den)
Símun Samuelsen, HB Tórshavn
Klæmint A. Olsen, NSÍ Runavík
Bogi Løkin, ÍF Fuglafjørður
Jóan Símun Edmundsson, Viking Stavanger (Nor)
In addition, 5 players from the U-21 team have been selected to train with the senior team to give them so experience. Those are:
Viljormur Davidsen (def), NSÍ Runavík
Rógvi S. Holm (def), HB Tórshavn
Gilli Sørensen (forw), TB Tvøroyri
Kaj Leo í Bartalstovu (midf), Víkingur
Karl Løkin (midf), ÍF Fuglafjørður
August 15, 2012
Friendly Match:
Iceland - Faroe Islands 2-0 (1-0)
1-0 Kollbein Sigthórsson
2-0 Kollbein Sigthórsson
A more efficient Iceland beat the Faroe Islands 2-0 in an otherwise even match where defender Odmar Færø and midfielder Hallur Hansson were given full debuts for the Faroes.
Iceland had a slight edge during the most of the first half, and also had the better scoring opportunities, although not too many of them.
However, they made one count after half an hour when an unmarked Kollbein Sigthórsson in the goal area slotted home after a cross from the left.
The Faroe Islands were close to an equalizer just a couple of minutes later, but the Icelandic goalkeeper diverted the strike from Christian Lamhauge Holst around the post.
Iceland kept their edge in the second half and went close a couple of times in the first quarter of an hour , but Gunnar Nielsen, who replaced Jákup Mikkelsen in the goal in the second half, made the necessary saves. This was Nielsen’s first match for more than a year after a nasty knee injury.
The Faroes were close to an equalizer just after the hour-mark when Jóan Símun Edmundsson hit the upright after a cross from Pól Jóhannus Justinussen.
Less than 10 minutes later, Finnur Justinussen, who had come on for his senior debut shortly before, should have equalized, but he squandered the opportunity as he finished straight on the goalkeeper.
The minute after right back René S. Joensen came on for his senior debut as he replaced Jónas Tór Næs.
After the Faroes had been threatening for a long period of the second half, Iceland improved again towards the end and also managed to double the lead in the last minute of normal time with another goal from Sigthórsson who scored at the near-post after a counterattack.
14 August, 2012
Rógvi Baldvinsson quits at Bristol Rovers after two weeks
Faroe Islands international defender Rógvi Baldvinsson has decided to quit Bristiol Rovers and return to Norway after only two weeks at the club after a mutual agreement as Rógvi felt it was not quite the right time for him to move over to England. You can see a video on BBC here where Bristol manager Mark McGhee talks about the situation.
06 August, 2012
Faroe Islands team for the friendly against Iceland on 15 August
Faroe Islands coach Lars Olsen has selected 19 players for the friendly match away to Iceland on 15 August.
The team includes goalkeeper Gunnar Nielsen who has been out with an injury for more than a year, while the Víkingur centre-back Atli Gregersen, who is serving a 5-match league-suspension, has not been selected with the reason that he isn’t match-fit. But dumping him from the friendly won’t make him more fit for the qualifier against Germany on 7 September.
It’s also noteworthy that 41-year old goalkeeper Jákup Mikkelsen has been selected although he hasn’t played in ÍF Fuglafjørður’s last three matches because of injury (his last match was on 30 June). Third choice goalkeeper is NSÍ’s 21-year old Kristian Joensen, who has been preferred to last season’s goalkeeper of the year, René Tórgarð of EB/Streymur; the coach reasoning the choice with the "future-perspective".
One player who is suspected to make his debut for the Faroe Islands is 22-year old defender Odmar Færø who played almost flawlessly for B36 last season and has shown the same qualities since returning to B36 from his studies in Scotland in the summer break.
Another one who also might make his debut is right back René S. Joensen who is a part of Brøndby’s senior squad and made his debut in the Danish Superliga towards the end of last season. If not selected for the senior team, Joensen would have been selected for the U21 team. The same is the situation for 20-year old midfielder Hallur Hansson who is not unlikely to also get on the field for his senior debut.
Another player with no cap for the Faroes, although he has been in the squad, is forward Finnur Justinussen who has just returned from injury. Justinussen joined Swedish 2nd tier club Jönköping Södra after becoming top scorer in the Faroese top division last season.
The Faroese team against Iceland:
Goalkeepers
Kristian Joensen, NSÍ Runavík
Jákup Mikkelsen, ÍF Fuglafjørður
Gunnar Nielsen, Manchester City (Eng)
Defenders
Rene S. Joensen, Brøndby IF (Den)
Jónas Þór Næs, Valur (Ice)
Rógvi Baldvinsson, Bristol Rovers (Eng)
Odmar Færø, B36 Tórshavn
Pól Jóhannus Justinussen, NSÍ Runavík
Jóhan Troest Davidsen, HB Tórshavn
Midfielders:
Bogi Løkin, ÍF Fuglafjørður
Súni Olsen, B36 Tórshavn
Fróði Benjaminsen, HB Tórshavn
Christian Lamhauge Holst, Silkeborg IF (Den)
Hallur Hansson, HB Tórshavn
Forwards:
Hjalgrím Elttør, KÍ Klaksvík
Finnur Justinussen, Jønkøping Sodra (Swe)
Jóan Símun Edmundsson, Viking Stavanger (Nor)
Daniel Udsen, Helsingør (Den)
Símun Samuelsen, HB Tórshavn
Update 14 August: Súni Olsen has pulled dout of the team because of injury and has been replaced by EB/Streymur's Pætur Dam Jacobsen.
For once, Iceland field their strongest team in a friendly against the Faroe Islands. Iceland’s Swedish coach has chosen these men for the game:
Goalkeepers:
Gunnleifur Gunnleifsson, FH
Hannes Tór Halldórsson, KR
Ingvar Jónsson, Stjarnan
Defenders:
Ragnar Sigurðsson, FC København
Sølvi Geir Ottesen Jónsson, FC København
Ari Freyr Skúlason, Sundsvall
Indriði Sigurðsson, Viking
Kári Árnason, Rotherdam
Birkir Már Sævarsson, Brann Bergen
Bjarni Ólafur Eiríksson, Stabæk
Midfielders:
Aron Einar Gunnarsson, Cardiff
Helgi Valur Daníelsson, AIK
Emil Hallfreðsson, Hellas Verona
Jóhann Berg Guðmundsson, AZ Alkmaar
Rúrik Gíslason, OB
Eggert Gunntór Jónsson, Wolverhampton
Arnór Smárason, Esbjerg fB
Forwards:
Birkir Bjarnason, Pescara
Kollbein Sigtórsson, Ajax
Alfreð Finnbogason, Helsingborg
Gylfi Tór Sigurðsson, Tottenham
Bjørn Bergmann Sigurðarson, Wolverhampton
Update 14 August: Forward Eiður Smári Guðjohnsen, now a free agent, and former Bolton defender Grétar Rafn Steinsson who is also a free agent now, have since been drafted into the team, while Wolverhampton forward Bjørn Bergmann Sigurðarson has withdrawn because of injury. Also Hallgrímur Jónasson (SønderjyskE, Denmark), who was a late inclusion in the squad, has had to pull out again because of injury.
World Cup qualifiers in the autumn:
07 September: Germany – Faroe Islands
12 October: Faroe Islands – Faroe Islands
16 October: Faroe Islands – Ireland
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Faroe Islands U-21 team against Denmark on 15 August
Also the Faroe Islands U21 team will be in action on 15 August when they play their last game of the campaign against Denmark at home.
Goalkeepers:
Teitur Gestsson, HB Tórshavn
Hans Jørgensen, B68 Toftir
Defenders:
Viljormur Davidsen, NSÍ Runavík
Erling D. Jacobsen, Víkingur
Rógvi S. Holm, HB Tórshavn
Høgni Eysturoy, B36 Tórshavn
Jan Ellingsgaard, ÍF Fuglafjørður
Bárður Hansen, Víkingur
Sørmundur Á. Kalsø, KÍ Klaksvík
Gustav Sørensen, Næstved (Den)
Midfielders:
Karl Løkin, ÍF Fuglafjørður
Róaldur Jacobsen, B36 Tórshavn
Heini Vatnsdal, FC Suðuroy
Andre Olsen, B68 Toftir
Árni Frederiksberg, NSÍ Runavík
Forwards:
Gilli Sørensen, TB Tvøroyri
Dánjal á Lakjuni, ÍF Fuglafjørður
Páll Klettskarð, KÍ Klaksvík
Klæmint A. Olsen, NSÍ Runavík
Kaj Leo í Bartalstovu, Víkingur
Dánjal Rói Olsen, B36 Tórshavn
Gunnar Zachariassen, B36 Tórshavn
Update 9 August: Defender Høgni Eysturoy has pulled out of the team and has been replaced by Jógvan Isaksen of KÍ Klaksvík.
Update 14 August: Heini Vatnsdal, Andre Olsen and Gunnar Zachariasen have pulled out of the squad because of injury. No replacements have been drafted.
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Four of these players have not been in the team earlier: Dánjal Rói Olsen (B36), Bárður Hansen (Víkingur), Árni Frederiksberg (NSÍ) and Gustav Sørensen (Næstved (Den)).
Had they not have been selected for the senior team, Hallur Hansson, René S. Joensen and goalkeeper Kristian Joensen would have been in the U21-team. That’s also true for 21-year old Jóan Símun Edmundsson, but he has been an integral part of the senior team now for some years.