September 02, 2007: Round 21 of the Formula Division:



HB Tórshavn - B71 Sandoy 3-1 (1-0)
1-0 Hans á Lag
2-0 Jákup á Borg
3-0 Páll Mohr Joensen
3-1 Clayton Soares (Pen)

HB dominated the first half in such a way that it's incredible to imagine how HB managed to lose both of the earlier encounters against B71; especially the 0-3 hammering HB received at home.

They key to those results was that B71 managed to score first and then they could play with many men behind the ball and rely on their effective counter-attacks. But that particular game-plan was quickly shattered by HB this time around as they took the lead after only 3 minutes.

- HB had a corner that wasn't cleared properly. Rókur av Fløtum Jespersen then drove a low shot through the crowded penalty area where defender Hans á Lag inside the goal area just got a touch to the ball to divert it into the back of the net.

The rest of the first half was just one way traffic and B71 were very rare guest on the HB half. However, on one occasion they did force Tróndur Vatnhamar into a diving save when Rasmus Nielsen tried from long range.

At the other end HB had several attempts at goal, but they never managed to add to their lead. Andrew av Fløtum should have done better when he was played free just outside the goal area, but he shot right at B71 goalkeeper Símun Rógvi Hansen. The two best efforts for HB in the first half were a free kick from Vagnur Mohr Mortensen which the goalkeeper just managed to tip around the woodwork, and shortly after, Kári Nielsen hit the post.

The B71 players must have received a hairdryer-speech at half time because they started the second half very brightly and so nearly got an early equalizer through Clayton Soares, but his shot bounced off the left post.

But just 6 minutes into the 2nd half, B71's positive start to the 2nd half was wrecked by a stupid red card (2nd yellow) for defender and captain, Eirikur Poulsen, when he was a bit too honest in his review of the referee's performance.

With the man in advantage, HB quickly took control of the match again and 20 minutes into the second half doubled their lead.

- B71's Wellington Soares (brother of Clayton Soares) carelessly let Andrew av Fløtum take the ball away from him at the left hand side near the by-line, and Andrew then made a perfect cross to Jákup á Borg who bombarded the ball into the goal via the crossbar. – I just checked 15 minutes ago (4 hours after the match had ended) and the crossbar was actually still vibrating!

A quarter of an hour before the final whistle, HB made it 3-0 with a very good header from Páll Mohr Joensen from 12 meters, when he steered the ball over the goalkeeper and into the top left corner of the goal after a perfect cross from Tór-Ingar Akselsen on the right hand side.

HB should have made it both 4-0 and 5-0 when Jákup á Borg and Mortan úr Hørg had the goal at their mercy, but from 2 meters out, they managed to shoot 126 meters over the goal!

HB was close again when another long range effort again rattled the crossbar, but instead it was B71 who got a late consolation near the end. Clayton Soares had been close when he beat the goalkeeper from a tight angle, but that effort was saved on the line by a defender. A couple of minutes later he did pull one back for B71 when he scored on a penalty after a B71 layer had been brought down in the penalty area.

With the 3 points, HB close the gap to leaders B36 and NSÍ to 6 points, as they drew 1-1 in today's top match. But those are the 6 points HB lost to exactly B71 in the two previous encounters of the season, one could philosophize…

NSÍ Runavík - B36 Tórshavn 1-1 (1-1)
0-1 Fróði Benjaminsen
1-1 Bogi Løkin

NSÍ had majority of possession but found it difficult to break down B36's strong defense. B36 were hampered by the suspension of 3 of their most influential players, national goalkeeper Jákup Mikkelsen, midfielder Mikkjal Thomassen (also national player), and Brazilian left back Alex dos Santos. Very few scoring opportunities were created by either side, but just a couple of minutes befroe half time, B36 took what looked like a half time lead when Fróði Benjaminsen scored in connection with a corner. – He has a tendency to score these crucial goals. However, NSÍ showed character and managed to equalize in the first half's stoppage time with a goal from Bogi Løkin, U21 international. In the second half it was mostly NSÌ who pressed forward, but without creating clear-cut opportunities. At the very end B36 rallied and almost stole victory, but NSÍ just managed to hold on to the draw. With 1 point each, HB Tórshavn and EB/Streymur have now closed the gap to 6 points. NSÍ also have a very difficult away match against EB/Streymur next (14 days, as the Faroe Islands play away to Lithuania on September 12) and that could cut the lead even more. B36 however seem to have a relatively easy passage right until the penultimate round, when they meet EB/Streymur. B36 might just have built up such a healthy margin by then, so that they can afford to lose a few points.

EB/Streymur - Skála 2-0 (1-0)
1-0 Sorin Anghel (Pen)
2-0 Hans Pauli Samuelsen

EB/Streymur made the most out of the 1-1 draw between the league leaders B36 and NSÍ by beating Skála 2-0 and lurk – alongside HB Tórshavn - 6 points behind the two top teams with an outside chance to win the title, just waiting for the others to slip up. Interestingly, this was EB/Streymur's first clean sheet since round 7, when they beat NSÍ 1-0. That was then EB/Streymur's 4th clean sheet in 7 matches. EB/Streymur take on exactly NSÍ next in a very decisive match that in the end might help B36 most…

AB Argir - GÍ Gøta 1-3 (0-1)
0-1 Christian Lundberg
0-2 Christian Lundberg
1-2 Fróði Clementsen (Pen)
1-3 Christian Lundberg

AB got some renewed hope when they beat fellow strugglers AB Argir last week and closed the gap to semi-strugglers B71 Sandoy to 8 points, but that margin stay at 8 points after today's match, not least thanks to Christian Lundberg's hat trick. With a very tough match schedule ahead, it's difficult to see how AB shall catch up with B71. AB play 4 of the top 5 teams before they meet B71 in the penultimate round.

KÍ Klaksvík - VB/Sumba 6-3 (4-2)
0-1 Dan Djurhuus
1-1 Paul Clapson
2-1 Gunnar Nielsen
3-1 Símun Joensen
3-2 Dan Djurhuus
4-2 Ove Nysted
5-2 Paul Clapson (Pen)
6-2 Kristoffur Jakobsen
6-3 Marco Moravic (Pen)

After VB/Sumba had taken an early lead after only 5 minutes, KÍ quicly turned it around and took the lead within the first quarter of an hour. In the end, KÍ won 6-3. After having been part of the relegation battle for long periods of the season, KÍ has now climbed up to 5th place. VB/Sumba can start to pack their suitcases for their relegation journey.