September 10, 2008: World Cup 2010 Qualifier, Group 7:

Faroe Islands – Rumania 0-1 (0-0)
0-1 Ruzwan Cocis 58'

Rumania piled on the pressure from the start and had several close finishes within the first 5 minutes, two attempts coming within the first 60 seconds. Aliuta went close with a shot from the edge of the penalty area after only 20 seconds, and Costeau shot straight at goalkeeper Jákup Mikkelsen after 60 seconds.

After 4 minutes, Mikkelsen was called into action again, this time diving to parry the header from Radoi around the post.

After the first 10 minutes, the pressure eased off, although it was still Rumania with the ball most of the time. The very defensive Faroese team rarely visited the Rumanian half.

Rumania had a couple of chances more midway through the first half. First Jákup Mikkelsen saved from Niculae in the goal area, and later Niculae was played clear in front of goal, but with the goal at his mercy (the goalkeeper had left his goal), he fired the shot straight on the head of Faroese defender Jón Rói Jacobsen.

Just 4 minutes into the second half, Rumania's S. Ghionea was sent off for elbowing Jákup á Borg.

This had little effect on the flow of the game though as it was still Rumanina who was constantly attacking.

And on 58 minutes, the pressure paid dividend. Aliuta found Cocis in the penalty area; he turned and fired a low shot into the back of the net.

After the goal, Rumania eased back, but still the Faroe Islands weren't really capable of putting any real pressure on the Rumanian goal.

Not until the last 5-10 minutes of the match. In added time, a bad back pass from the Rumanian defender to his goalkeeper allowed Christian Høgni Jacobsen to intercept, but Jacobsen's shot from the acute angle was blocked by Rumanian goalkeeper Bogdan Lobont. That was the only save he had to make throughout the match.

No more than 805 spectators were present at Tórsvøllur Stadium today. In comparison, 5400 watched the UEFA cup match between EB/Streymur and Manchester City in July.

Only 4 of the Rumanian players who started the match against Lithuania on Saturday were in the starting line-up today.

For the Faroe Islands, the team was the same that lost to Serbia on Saturday, except for right back Pætur Dam Jacobsen who got his debut for the Faroes today. He replaced the suspended Jónas Tór Næs.

After the match, Faroese coach Jógvan Martin Olsen said that he before the match would have sold it for a 1-0 defeat.

- Well, if that's the signal he sends out, why on earth play the match at all?

All results and table, group 7