May 03 & 04, 2009: Round 05 of the Vodafone Division:

B36 Tórshavn – HB Tórshavn 2-2 (1-1)
0-1 Owngoal
1-1 Brima Koroma
2-1 Róaldur Jacobsen
2-2 Hans á Lag

HB had more of the possession in the first half, but, as always, found it difficult to create any real chances. B36 were well organized at the back, but without being too defensive and often had 3 players waiting on top. Especially Brima Koroma was lurking around the edge of off side hoping to get a decision in his favor at some stage.

HB nearly took the lead after about 10 minutes when Fróði Benjaminsen from close range latched on to the ball, but the effort was straight on B36 goalkeeper Tróndur Vatnhamar, who must also get credit for a great save. But Benjaminsen should have made his effort count.

But midway through the half, HB did get their goal after a corner, but the goal was credited as an owngoal.

But the lead lasted only about 5 minutes. Sam Malson tried his luck from the distance, but HB goalkeeper Símun Rógvi Hansen made an error and gave a rebound which Brima Koroma was on to with the speed of light and leveled for B36.

Less than 10 minutes had elapsed of the second half when B36 went 2-1 in front. A defensive mistake allowed 18-year-old Róaldur Jacobsen to get into the penalty area, and close to the byline he cut outside to get rid of his marker before he fired his shot into the back of the net.

HB had no immediate response as their attacking play is slow and predictable and they seem to be in dear need of a more explosive player who can get past defenders on his own.

But as the clock started to tick down on the last quarter of an hour, HB finally managed to sustain some pressure on the B36 goal, and with 10 minutes remaining of normal time HB equalized with a header from defender Hans á Lag from the in-swinging corner from Rasmus Nolsøe.

HB could have snatched the winner late on, but Milan Kuljic shot right on the goalkeeper from close range.

In addition to that, HB didn´t have much apart from a few scrambles.

In the end, 2-2 was probably a fair result.

But 2-2 against B36 is not enough for HB if they want to be serious title challengers. If 07 Vestur can beat B36 4-2 (they did that last Sunday), then HB must also be able to beat B36. But HB do have scoring problems. Actually, 7 of HB’s 9 league goals this season have come in connection with set pieces. And the 8th goal was a gift from NSÍ defender Johan Troest Davidsen. That means that HB have only scored 1 goal in normal play.

ÍF Fuglafjørður – KÍ Klaksvík 1-0 (1-0)
1-0 Balazs Sinko

ÍF scored what proved to be the winning goal after about a quarter of an hour into the first half.

Less than 10 minutes later, KÍ were awarded a penalty while defender Bartal Eliasen was sent off. KÍ chose to let goalkeeper Jákup Mikkelsen take the penalty, but it proved to be a bad choice as Mikkelsen fired the ball on the post out!

But even with a man in advantage for more than an hour, KÍ weren’t able to create clear cut chances.

The situation is starting to look more and more dim for KÍ, and although they are the team who have conceded fewest goals (6 - alongside several others), KÍ are at the same time the team that has scored the fewest: only 3 in 5 matches. Their inabilities of scoring goals could very well prove fatal for KÍ in the end.

NSÍ Runavík – B68 Toftir 2-2 (0-1)
0-1 Ndende Adama Gueye
1-1 Karoly Potemkin
2-1 Jústinus R. Hansen
2-2 Óli Olsen

B68 took the lead on the stroke of halftime with a headed goal from the Senegalese Ndende Adama Gueye from Øssur Hansen’s corner.

But NSÍ levelled almost immediately after the break with a goal from league top scorer Karoly Potemkin before NSÍ went ahead 20 minutes from time with a flat shot from the edge of the penalty area from Jústinus R. Hansen.

But NSÍ were denied the 3 points when Óli Olsen scored on a rebound from goalkeeper Meinhardt Joensen after 83 minutes.

However, in the end, NSÍ will be happy about the point they did get afterall, as B68 so nearly snatched victory in stoppage time, but the header was saved by the crossbar. On the other hand, NSÍ had also had their chances to decide the match earlier.

AB Argir – 07 Vestur 2-2 (0-0)
1-0 Kenneth Jacobsen
1-1 Tór-Ingar Akselsen
1-2 Jóhan Petur á Stongum
2-2 Nikolai Lindholm Eriksen

After a goalless first half between the two newcomers, AB opened the scoring early in the second half with a goal from Kenneth Jacobsen. But the joy was short-lived as 07 Vestur equalized in their next attack with a terrific shot from Tór-Ingar Akselsen that went in off the post.

Less than 10 minutes later, 07 Vestur scored again with an equally terrific shot from Jóhan Petur á Stongum.

But 07 Vestur weren´t able to hold on to their lead as AB found an equalizer in the dying minutes.

With the draw, AB have climbed to 5th position in the table (but will drop to 6th if EB/Streymur get a point on Monday evening against Víkingur) but it’s still early days and tight at the bottom, where 07 Vestur is second from bottom, 3 points adrift of AB.

May 04:
Víkingur - EB/Streymur 0-2 (0-1)
0-1 Levi Hanssen
0-2 Levi Hanssen

One of the reasons to EB/Streymur’s championship last season was that their rivals never managed to take advantage when EB/Streymur lost their matches. This season EB/Streymur are trailing, but as all the top teams dropped points yesterday, EB/Streymur had the chance to cut the gap on leaders NSÍ Runavík to only 2 points with a win against Víkingur today. And EB/Streymur didn’t let that opportunity go by as they won a convincing 2-0 victory over Víkingur who dropped to 5th place.

After an even start, EB/Streymur took the lead after 23 minutes when central defender Egil á Bø intercepted a Víkingur attack. Á Bø surged forward, found Leif Niclassen who set up Levi Hansen who scored with a clever shot.

EB/Streymur dominated the rest of the match and hit the woodwork in both halves before Levi Hanssen headed home from a corner in the dying moments to make it 2-0.