Somewhat of an anti-climax as the best ever qualifying campaign for the Faroe Islands ends in a 3-0 defeat to Rumania who score early and late in the first half to make it difficult for the Faroes.
Faroe Islands - Rumania 0-3 (0-2)
0-1 Constantin Budescu 4'
0-2 Constantin Budescu 45'
0-3 Alexandru Maxim 83'
Rumania took the lead within four minutes on a free kick combination which caught the Faroese defence sleeping, while centre-back Odmar Færø was side-lined getting treatment, and Constantin Budescu drilled a low deflected shot into the bottom corner from just within the penalty area from the pass across from the left.
The Faroes were under constant pressure for the next eight minutes before they finally managed to ease the pressure by getting a few passes strung together and the rest of the half was quite an even affair. The Faroe Islands had some half-chances from corners and other crosses, but never managed to create the clear-cut scoring opportunity – although Hallur Hanssons hook from long range stretched Rumania’s goalkeeper.
But with the last action of first half’s added time the Faroe Islands were hit by a sucker punch when Gunnar Nielsen misjudged Budescu’s curling effort from 20 metres out and five metres from the side-line.
The Faroes could have been right back in the game when Hallur Hannson was played clear with only the goalkeeper to beat after just a minute of the second half, but it was the keeper who won the duel as he blocked the shot with his feet.
The most of the second half was pretty even again, with neither team creating major opportunities, but Nielsen just managed to dive late to divert a shot around his post with 20 minutes left on the clock.
Rumania sealed the match with their third goal in the 83rd minute when Brandur Olsen gave away the ball just outside the Faroese penalty area after a naive dribble and Alexandru Maxim was played clear for an easy finish at close range.
Although it felt like an anti-climax today, this qualifying campaign has been the best ever for the Faroe Islands, and although the six points this time is less than the record of seven for the 2002 World Cup qualifying campaign, six of those points had come from victories against Luxembourg whereas this time the six points have come from the top seeded team Greece, who ended last in the group however, with six points as the Faroe Islands but where the Faroes are ranked higher because of the head-to-head matches.
Final standing - Group F:
No. | Team | Goal-difference | Points
1 Northern Ireland | 8 | 21
2 Romania | 9 | 20
3 Hungary | 2 | 16
4 Finland | -1 | 12
5 Faroe Islands | -11 | 6
6 Greece | -7 | 6