April 03 - 05, 2009: Round 01 of the Vodafone Division:

April 03:

Víkingur - ÍF Fuglafjørður 2-0 (1-0)
1-0 Magnus Skoralíð
2-0 Hans Jørgin Djurhuus

Víkingur took an early lead when Magnus Skoralíð made it 1-0 after only 8 minutes. Víkingur had been the better team throughout the first half, but in the second half, play was more even – although neither team played particularly well. In injury time Hans Jørgin Djurhuus cemented Víkingur’s win with an easy goal for 2-0.

April 04:
HB Tórshavn – B68 Toftir 3-1 (2-1)
0-1 Dánjal Pauli Højgaard
1-1 Milan Kuljic
2-1 Rógvi Poulsen
3-1 Andrew av Fløtum (Pen.)

B68 took a surprise lead after only 8 minutes when veteran Øssur Hansen had space and time on the left wing to make a perfect cross in front of goal to Dánjal Pauli Højgaard who took full advantage of the irresolute HB defence and goalkeeper and headed home.

HB were extremely poor and showed nothing whatsoever. Their first shot at goal came after 15 minutes when Andrew av Fløtum tried from long range, but it was far away from ever becoming a goal opportunity.

Eventually HB managed to move the play 10 meters forward, but still without creating anything. However, this earned HB some set pieces that proved to be dangerous. And it was with a set piece that HB managed to equalize shortly after the half-hour mark. Rasmus Nolsøe sent a free kick in front of goal where a completely unmarked Milan Kuljic, who had just come on, had the easiest of tasks heading in the equalizer.

And just a minute before the interval, HB went in front. This time it was a corner that B68 couldn’t clear properly. The ball bounced to Rógvi Poulsen just outside the penalty area, and on the turn, he half-volleyed straight into the far corner. It was cracking goal.

HB were under severe pressure from the start of the second half when B68 had 5 corners in a row which HB goalkeeper Símin Rógvi Hansen had great problems dealing with.

B68 should have equalized halfway through the second half when two men were through, but goalkeeper Símun Rógvi Hansen intercepted before he was saved by the post in the second incident. Should have been 2-2 for B68.

But instead HB made it 3-1 a few minutes later 12 minutes from time. Again it was a set piece that produced the initial opportunity that ended with a penalty. A corner (or freekick?) was crossed in front of goal where Hans á Lag headed on the crossbar. As Hans á Lag was attempting to get a head on the rebound, he was rather stupidly and unnecessarily pushed down. The referee pointed resolutely on the spot.

Andrew av Fløtum stepped up to take the penalty, but it was saved by the B68 goalkeeper, Petur Meinhard Magnussen, who had replaced the Serb Vlada Filopovic today. However, the referee deemed that the goalkeeper had mowed off his line too early and ordered the penalty to be re-taken. This time av Fløtum made no mistake.

After this, HB had 2 or 3 chances to further increase the lead as B68 had now given up, although B68 also went close when the HB-goalkeeper fisted the ball from a corner onto his crossbar and behind.

Although losing 3-1, B68 will take heart from the game knowing they pushed HB all the way.

HB on the other hand will have to do some serious improvement if they really intent to challenge for glory this season. Of course, getting 3 points in the opener was the most important thing, HB will say, but before B68 gave up after HB´s third goal, HB had not created one single move that could be counted as a real attack. HB’s only threat was on set pieces.

On Easter Sunday, 13 April, we’ll see what HB are really made of when they take on EB/Streymur in the second round of the Vodafone Division. Defence will have to improve a lot when dealing with the high balls, and when going forward, they’ll have to string some passes together to open up EB/Streymur’s defence. Because HB can’t expect EB/Streymur to be as poor as they were in the Super Cup last Sunday when HB won 3-1.

But before that, HB will face NSÍ Runavík in the first round of the Cup on Maundy Thursday, April 9th.

NSÍ Runavík - KÍ Klaksvík 1-1 (0-1)
0-1 Kristoffur Jakobsen
1-1 Hjalgrím Elttør

KÍ Klaksvík’s young team earned a valuable away point against NSÍ Runavík who have been predicted a placing near the top.

Kristoffur Jakobsen, 20, whom KÍ are putting a lot of trust in this season, gave KÍ the lead shortly before half time.

NSÍ had the upper hand in the second half and equalized some 10 minutes into the half with a goal from Hjalgrím Elttør, once a KÍ player.

Near the end, Hungarian karoly Potemkin went close for NSÍ, but KÍ were saved by the upright.

The average age of KÍ’s starting outfield players was just 20.7. If we include 38 year old Jákup Mikkelsen in the goal, the average age for the whole team would have been 22.3.

April 05:
EB/Streymur – 07 Vestur 2-1 (1-1)
1-0 Arnbjørn Hansen
1-1 Jens Erik Rasmussen
2-1 Arnbjørn Hansen

Title holders EB/Streymur started their campaign with the expected victory over newcomers 07 Vestur. Also last season’s top scorer Arnbjørn Hansen made a good start, scoring both goals for the champions.

The first goal came inside the first quarter of an hour, but shortly before half time, the visitors levelled the score when 41 year old Jens Erik Rasmussen took full advantage of a mistake in EB/Streymur’s defence.

But a few minutes into the second half, Arnbjørn Hansen restored EB/Streymur’s lead and what turned out to be the winning goal. 07 Vestur could have scored again, but the woodwork stood in their way.

B36 Tórshavn – AB Argir 3-2 (2-2)
1-0 Brima Koroma
1-1 Nikolai Lindholm Eriksen
2-1 Sam Malson
2-2 Dánial Rói Olsen
3-2 Jákup á Borg

In his debut for B36, forward Brima Koroma from Sierra Leone was the difference between the two sides.

Koroma put B36 in front after only 5 minutes, but the newcomers levelled the score immediately with Nikolai Lindholm Eriksen.

B36 looked to be going for tea with a 2-1 lead when Koroma set up Englishman Sam Malson, but AB levelled in the same minute with a goal from Dánial Rói Olsen.

But within 10 minutes of the second half, B36 scored what proved to be the winning goal. Koroma was the architect again when he set up Jákup á Borg for an easy finish.