July 10, 12-13, 2008: Round 15 of the Formula Division:

July 10:

NSÍ Runavík - HB Tórshavn 1-0 (0-0)
1-0 Jóhan Troest Davidsen

We'll begin with the cliché-intro: It was a must-win game for both teams (aren't most?). If HB won, HB would cut the gap on league leaders EB/Streymur (who play on Sunday) to only 4 points. A win for NSÍ would take them to within 5 points of EB/Streymur. The loser would more or less be out of the title-race. That became HB!

The first half was a very even affair where the teams had momentum by turns. Chances were also evenly split.

HB went close within the first 10 minutes when Jákup á Borg was played through on the right, but he put 93 % of his effort on power and only 7 % on accuracy with the end result that he fired the shot well wide when he had only the keeper to beat (although the angle was a bit tight). He should at least have hit the target and forced the goalkeeper to make the save.

A couple of minutes later, NSÍ were awarded a penalty when FIFA referee Petur Reinert judged that Øssur Dalbúð had been brought down in the penalty area in an aerial duel for a ball that was knocked into HB's penalty area from a free kick on the centre of HB's half.

Captain Óli Hansen usually converts those without problems, and he did that again this time. But the referee ordered the penalty to be re-taken because an NSÍ-player had entered the box before Hansen had taken the penalty. But on his second try, Hansen missed, as the ball clipped the crossbar and went behind. Still 0-0.

A few minutes later, NSÍ's left back Einar Hansen did well to stay on his feet, and his lobber looked to be going in, but with an acrobatic backwards-dive, HB-goalkeeper Marcin Dawid got his fingertips on the ball to tip it over the crossbar (See photo of the spectacular save in HB's match-gallery).

At the other end Ólavur í Ólavssovu and Jákup á Borg had great chances to give HB the lead.

First, í Ólavsstovu's pirouette got rid of two NSÍ defenders, but í Ólvavsstovu's left foot shot was right on NSÍ goalkeeper Tórur Thomsen. Í Ólavsstovu should have done better, even if it was his wrong leg.

Later, Jákup á Borg was first on a rebound when Thomsen fumbled a long range effort from Poul Thomas Dam, but á Borg placed the shot right on the goalkeeper.

From the start of the 2nd half, it was NSÍ who had the upper hand (if it was because they were more ready because they did warm up in half time shall be unsaid, but HB's approach is a more amateurish one, where the players make a "cold start" to the 2nd half).

However, around 10 minutes into the 2nd half, HB had one good chance to take the lead when Jákup á Borg on the left managed to get the ball around the out-rushing goalkeeper, but Jóhan Troest Davidsen was on place with a clearance before á Borg got the chance to equalize. This was HB's only real opportunity in the 2nd half.

20 minutes into the half, NSÍ got their goal from a corner. At first, the danger seemed to have been averted when Jóhan Troest Davidsen failed to connect with the cross, but the ball was crossed back again immediately, and this time Troest Davidsen connected and gave NSÍ the lead. This was the central defender's (once an Everton trainee) 3rd goal in his last 4 matches.

HB had no response and didn't manage put any sustainable pressure on NSÍ.

NSÍ on the other hand were ready to hit HB on the break, and once a clear Øssur Dalbúð was extremely close to put NSÍ 2-0 up in two attempts, but the goalkeeper blocked his initial effort, and lying on the ground, Dalbúð headed his second effort right into Marcin Dawid's bosom.

A few minutes before that, Dalbúð had misused another sitter when he unmarked from close range blasted his shot high over, when he had the goal at his mercy.

Time quickly ran out for HB; especially as they often were chasing the ball, which NSÍ did well to keep possession of with good, simple combinations.

July 12:

B68 Toftir - B71 Sandoy 3-0 (0-0)
0-1 Wellington Soares
0-2 Høgni Midjord
0-3 Wellington Soares

A small step for mankind, maybe, but a giant leap for B71! With a 3-0 win over B68, B71 climb above the relegation line for the first time since round 5. B71 and B68 are equal with 14 points, but B71 have a better goal difference. A win tomorrow for Skála, who are currently in last spot, would also take them to 14 points.

The relegation battle has been a very even one throughout the season where the teams have had momentum by turns, maybe winning 3 in a row and climbing above the relegation line, but then losing 3 or 4 in a row to drop below again. But for B71, that momentum didn't seem to come – until round 12 when they beat KÍ, and with today's win, they have now won 3 matches in succession – and all of them with a clean sheet.

Both teams had their shares of scoring opportunities in the first half; especially B71 maybe, but sitters were squandered.

But halfway through the 2nd half, careless B68 defending gave the ball away to B71’s Brazilian, Wellington Soares, who struck from long range to give B71 the lead.

In the dying minutes, B71 scored twice in quick succession to win 3-0.

B68 have now lost 6 of their last 7 matches and have scored only 1 goal during that period! B68 have acknowledged their goalscoring-problems and have signed a 34-year-old Danish forward, Brian Andresen, from Glostrup IF, who play in the 3rd tier. Looks like a desperate signing… Andresen will be ready to turn out for B68 when the league kicks off again after the summer break on 6 August.

ÍF Fuglafjørður - KÍ Klaksvík 1-0 (1-0)
1-0 Debes Danielsen

With a 3rd successive victory (and a 3rd clean sheet), ÍF seam to be well on their way to book their place in the Formula Division next year. With 4 teams under them in the table, and with a margin of 6 points to 3 of them, it can hardly go wrong for ÍF now (although we have seen that it can change quickly between the bottom-five).

While ÍF in Bartal Eliasen missed one of their most important players, KÍ missed a whole host of their key players, and this was evident on field.

In a low-tempo match, ÍF scored the winning goal midway through the first half. ÍF's lead never came under threat (not even when ÍF´s Høgni Madsen was sent off towards the end) as KÍ had very little to offer.

KÍ just don't seem able to really get out of the relegation zone, but when at full strength, KÍ ought to bee too good to stay in the mess…

July 13:

B36 Tórshavn - EB/Streymur 2-1 (2-0)
1-0 Hanus Thorleifsson
2-0 Hanus Thorleifsson
2-1 Owngoal

After losing 3 matches in succession, EB/Streymur's lead in the Formula Division has been cut from 10 to 5 points in only 3 rounds. And that lead could shrink even more when chasers NSÍ Runavík visit EB/Streymur in the next round, when the league resumes on 6 August, after the summer break.

EB/Streymur had chosen to rest key players Arnbjørn Hansen and Hans Pauli Samuelsen, who have scored more than half of EB/Streymur's goals (both came on in the 2nd half). Also goalkeeper René Tórgarð was missing and was replaced by Magnus Poulsen.

For B36, English striker Sam Malson was in the starting line-up, and he made an early impact as he set up Hanus Thorleifsson to give B36 the lead after 10 minutes.

Just before halftime, Thorleifsson struck again to double B36's lead.

However, EB/Streymur were back in the game after only a couple of minutes of play of the 2nd half when Súni Olsen made an embarrassing owngoal.

But B36 held on to their lead for the rest of the match and inflicted EB/Streymur their 3rd loss in a row. And if we don’t count B36's owngoal today as one scored for EB/Streymur, then EB/Streymur haven't scored in their last 3 matches either.

Víkingur - Skála 2-1 (1-0)
1-0 Zoltan Bukszegi
2-0 Andreas Lava Olsen
2-1 Arnold Berg

A 3rd victory in succession has lifted Víkingur to 4th in the table, only 3 points adrift of NSÍ in 2nd place.

Skála on the other hand are now isolated in the bottom, and with a difficult schedule in front of them, Skála will find it difficult to get out of the black hole. After the summer break, Skála start at home against ÍF, and then they meet EB/Streymur (a), NSÍ (h), HB (a) and B36 (a).

Today, Víkingur won a well deserved victory. Hungarian player Zoltan Bukszegi sent Víkingur on winning course after 9 minutes, and 12 minutes into the 2nd half, Andreas Lava Olsen made it 2-0 with his 8th goal of the season.

Skála got a consolation 2 minutes into stoppage time.