June 20 & 21, 2009: Round 13 of the Vodafone Division:

June 20:

B36 Tórshavn – 07 Vestur 2-1 (0-1)
0-1 Tór-Ingar Akselsen
1-1 Magnus Olsen
2-1 Bogi Hermansen

Last time B36 met 07 Vestur – in round 4 on 26 April – B36 were league leaders with maximum points for 3 games. But B36 suffered a 4-2 defeat and had not won another match until today’s match.

And it didn´t look like B36 were going to win today either as they were behind when 82 minutes had been played thanks to Tór-Ingar Akselsen´s goal shortly before halftime. But 82 minutes into the match, Magnus Olsen equalized for B36 before Bogi Hermansen snatched a dramatic winner in stoppage time.

07 Vestur still have only won 1 match: their reverse against B36 in round 4.

The next 3 rounds could very well become defining moments for 07 Vestur as they play AB Argir (H), ÍF Fuglafjørður (A) and KÍ Klaksvík. If 07 Vestur don´t collect at least 4 points in those games, the party is probably over for them this time around.

NSÍ Runavík – EB Streymur 1-2 (0-1)
0-1 Hans Pauli Samuelsen
0-2 Bárður Olsen
1-2 Óli Hansen (pen)

A week ago, NSÍ were looking like championship contenders as they trailed leaders HB Tórshavn by only 3 points, but after two successive defeats, NSÍ’s are suddenly in danger of being outdistanced in the title race – especially if HB win on Sunday. NSÍ would then be trailing HB by a massive 9 points.

In today´s match, EB/streymur took the lead on the half-hour with a goal from Hans Pauli Samuelsen who has found the goals hard to come by this season. In 13 matches he has now scored twice compared to his 12 for the entire season last year.

EB/Streymur doubled their lead just before the end of the first quarter of an hour of the second half with at goal from Bárður Olsen.

Although NSÍ reduced the score with a penalty from Óli Hansen in stoppage time, EB/Streymur’s win was never in any real danger.

EB/Streymur’s goal in the league is now only to climb as high as possible in the table as their title has long gone. Before HB’s match on Sunday, EB/Streymur trail the leaders by 10 points.

June 21:

Víkingur – HB Tórshavn 2-3 (1-1)
0-1 Mortan úr Hørg
1-1 Finnur Justinussen
2-1 Finnur Justinussen
2-2 Bjarni Jørgensen
2-3 Andrew av Fløtum

Andrew av Fløtum’s late winner against Víkingur moved HB Tórshavn 8 points clear of Víkingur and B68 Toftir who are equal on points in second place. And as the top 3 have matches against each other in the coming rounds while HB play some of the lesser teams, that gap could grow even more.

A lot must now change if HB shall be denied the title come 3 October!

In today’s match it was HB who made the better start and was the better team for the first 10-15 minutes of the match, and this advantage also brought them the opening goal after about 10 minutes with a lucky punch from left back Mortan úr Hørg. Víkingur’s clearance from a corner ended 10 metres outside the penalty area where úr Hørg fired a low shot through the crowded area where it took a deflection off a Víkingur-leg and went in.

Víkingur then gradually forced play over on HB’s half and equalized less than 10 minutes later. The two HB-defenders weren’t resolute enough clearing the ball which allowed Finnur Justinussen to get a shot in from 18 metres – and what a shot! – which stayed a metre above the ground all the way into the back of the net behind a helpless diving Símun Rógvi Hansen in the HB goal.

Víkingur continued to have the upper hand and went close again midway through the half when Hungarian Zoltan Bukszegi lobbed the advancing goalkeeper, but the ball bounced just high and wide of the far post.

Víkingur started very brightly in the second half and had a couple of finishes in the early minutes before they took the lead only six minutes into the half. Again it was the 20-year-old Finnur justinussen who scored as he headed home a free kick from Súni Olsen.

But the lead lasted only 5 minutes as Bjarni Jørgensen equalized for HB with a spectacular volley that went in off the crossbar after Víkingur hadn’t properly cleared a corner.

20 minutes into the second half HB's Fróði Benjaminsen was played clear in the goal area, but he hit the left post and could only watch as the ball rolled alongside the goalline. - But it stayed out.

Víkingur had few real scoring opportunities in the second half, but on one occasion Símun Rógvi Hansen had to be quick out of his goal to deny the speedy Andreas Lava Olsen.

But one minute before the end of normal time, Víkingur were hit by a sucker punch from Andrew av Fløtum which may very well turn out to be the title decider as HB with the victory opened up an 8-point gap at the top of the table. Av Fløtum received the ball outside the penalty area where he was alone with Víkingur defender Niclas Niclasen. Av Fløtum first dribbled past the defender to the right before he then went left again before he beat Geza Turi in the Víkingur goal.

The referee added 5 minutes of stoppage time, but Víkingur never really threatened HB’s victory.

HB most now be considered red hot favourites for the title!

AB Argir – KÍ Klaksvík 0-2 (0-1)
0-1 Kristoffur Jakobsen
0-2 Erland B. Danielsen

With their first win of the season, KÍ leapfrogged 07 Vestur to go ninth in the table. But KÍ’s situation is still critical as they trail ÍF in the important 8th place by 4 points, but it’s not impossible.

KÍ took the lead with a goal from Kristoffur Jakobsen as the first half was drawing to a close. 25 minutes into the second half, KÍ increased their lead with a goal from Erland B. Danielsen.

On Wednesday KÍ take on ÍF in a massive game in the relegation battle.

B68 Toftir – ÍF Fuglafjørður 2-1 (1-1)
1-0 Jóan Símun Edmundsson
1-1 Alexandar Jovevic
2-1 Jóan Símun Edmundsson

No one can stop B68 at the moment, it seems. With the 3 points, B68 climbed to 3rd in the table with the same number of points as Víkingur, but with an inferior goal difference.

Jóan Símun Edmundsson put B68 ahead just a couple of minutes after kick off, but the Serb Alexandar Jovevic equalized for ÍF a quarter of an hour into the match.

The 2nd half was less than 5 minutes old when Jóan Símun Edmundsson restored B68’s lead with his second goal of the afternoon with a deflected shot.

With a quarter of an hour remaining, ÍF were given a glorious opportunity to equalize when they were awarded a penalty. But those of you who have been following the penalty-statistics know that penalties are not particularly dangerous in the Vodafone Division. – Have you figured out where this is going? Yeah! Vlada Filipovic in the B68 goal saved Andy Olsen’s kick from the spot!

- That makes it 9 out of 20 penalties missed in the Vodafone Division so far!

ÍF still look reasonable safe, but if KÍ win against them on Wednesday, then ÍF are suddenly in troubles again.