Faroe Islands beaten by Lithuania's 89th minute winner
October 07, 2006: UEFA Euro 2008 Qualifier, Group B:
Faroe Islands – Lithuania 0-1 (0-0)0-1 Andrius Skerla 89'
After having lost their two last matches against Georgia and Scotland 6-0, the Faroe Islands produced a much better performance against Lithuania and were just seconds away from getting a point. – But then, after 88 minutes, disaster struck, when Andrius Skerla scored for Lithuania after a corner and denied the Faroe Islands a draw.
The Faroes had then been under heavy pressure for the last 20 minutes and Lithuania had been close on several occasions, but in the first half, Lithuania hardly created any scoring opportunity at all, although they had the ball for the most of the time.
The Faroe Islands played very defensively and Lithuania found it difficult to break into the Faroese penalty area and therefore Lithuania mostly tried their luck with long range efforts, but these were not particularly effective as they either were way off target or straight on goalkeeper Jákup Mikkelsen.
Lithuania's best chance fell on the half hour mark when they shot over the goal from close range from an acute angle on the left.
The Faroe Islands produced no real scoring opportunity. Christian Høgni Jacobsen had a shot from the left corner of the penalty area, but it went well over.
In the second half, Lithuania put much more pressure on the Faroese goal and they went close already in the second minute. A long throw-in was extended into the penalty area and in center of goal from close range, the Lithuanian player shot over the goal.
But the Faroe Islands created two good scoring opportunities in the second half.
On 11 minutes Jákup á Borg took a long throw-in on the right to Rógvi Jacobsen in the penalty area, and he extended the ball with his head to Christian Høgni Jacobsen who turned and fired the ball just wide off the goal.
3 minutes later, Christian Høgni Jacobsen was close again. This time he sprinted from the halfway-line all the way into the penalty area and from an acute angle on the left, he aimed for the far side of the goal, but the Lithuanian goalkeeper dived and blocked the shot.
After this, it was all Lithuania and the pressure on the Faroese goal grew and grew. They went close several times with headers and shots from close range and other times it was Jákup Mikkelsen who saved, and in one incident he the ball was saved on the line by left back Marni Djurhuus.
But as the clock was reaching 88 minutes, it looked like the Faroes were going to weather the storm, but then Lithuania got a corner... and in front of goal, Lithiania's Andrius Skerla was allowed to head the low cross into the back of the net.
One minute into time added on, Lithuania nearly scored again, but the long range shot hit the top of the right post.
But even though the Faroe Island lost the game just 2 minutes before the end, they will be positive about the improvement they have made sine the last 2 games against Scotland and Georgia which they lost 6-0.
On Wednesday, the Faroe Islands play away against France and although the Faroes lost only 1-0 today, that could become a completely other ballgame. But we'll keep our fingers crossed...