August 06 & 08, 2009: Round 18 of the Vodafone Division:

August 06

KÍ Klaksvík – HB Tórshavn 0-2 (0-1)
0-1 Andrew av Fløtum (pen)
0-2 Hanus Thorleifsson

KÍ had the better opportunities in the first quarter of an hour where two chances were squandered.

Instead it was HB who took the lead after 19 minutes with a penalty from Andrew av Fløtum after the referee deemed that Fróði Benjaminsen had been brought down in the penalty area. Benjaminsen wasn´t in a particular threatening position and KÍ accused him for going down rather easily.

After the goal KÍ produced a couple of decent chances. Once HB goalkeeper Marcin Dawid (normal 1st choice keeper Símun Rógvi Hansen is injured) used two attempts to save from Heðin á Lakjuni and near the end of the first half Páll Klettskarð had a good opportunity to equalize, but a weak shot let the chance go begging.

The second half produced few scoring opportunities at either end.

But with 5 minutes left of normal time HB cemented victory with a goal from Hanus Thorleifsson who changed to HB from B36 in the summer. But the goal was highly controversial as Thorleifsson was accused of doing a Maradona and scoring with a downright volleyball smash.

Heavy protests from KÍ didn´t change anything and the points went to HB who take a provisional 9-point lead at the top of the table before the other matches of the 18th round are played on Saturday.

But with only 9 games remaining for HB, their lead looks solid enough for the title, even though they have struggled a little bit to get the points in their latest matches.

For KÍ, Todi Jónsson didn´t play today either because of his groin injury, and Atli Danielsen didn´t enter the pitch until midway through the second half as also he is struggling with an injury.

August 08:

B36 Tórshavn - Víkingur 1-3 (1-2)
0-1 Zoltan Bukszegi
1-1 Bergur Midjord
1-2 Finnur Justinussen
1-3 Finnur Justinussen

After the Hungarian Zoltan Bukszegi had given Víkingur the lead after only 6 minutes, B36 got a deserved equalizer 6 minutes later with a goal from Bergur Midjord in off the crossbar.

But Víkingur were back in front just before half time when Vodafone Division top scorer Finnur Justinussen tapped in from close range, after an initial save from B36 goalkeeper Tróndur Vatnhamar, but while everyone expected the ball to drop behind the goal, Justinussen was ready to take advantage when the ball actually dropped right in front of the goal to everyone’s amazement.

Víkingur were more defensive in the second half, but B36 weren´t able to put any real pressure on Víkingur.

Víkingur had Hans Jørgin Djurhuus sent off 10 minutes from time (his second red of the season – the other one was in the cup), but it had little effect on the rest of the match.

The only effect was that Víkingur increased to 3-1 in stoppage time with another fine goal from 20 year old Justinussen who coolly lobbed Tróndur Vatnhamar in the B36 goal from way out. Justinussen is now 3 goals clear on the top of the top scorer list with 14 goals.

With the victory, Víkingur leapfrog B68 Toftir to take hold of the runners up position, but a massive 7 points adrift of HB Tórshavn in first spot.

B36 on the other hand are heading in the other direction and drop to 8th place in the table – just 3 points clear of KÍ Klaksvík in 9th place. The bottom-two are relegated!

ÍF Fuglafjørður – EB/Streymur 3-1 (2-0)
1-0 Frank Poulsen
2-0 Rógvi Jacobsen
3-0 Rógvi Jacobsen
3-1 Arnbjørn Hansen

After an even opening 20 minutes, ÍF more or less decided matters with two goals in 4 minutes. First it was Frank Poulsen who scored with a terrific shot from 20metres before Rógvi Jacobsen headed home from a corner 4 minutes later. This was the first time Jacobsen was in the starting line up this season after a long injury period.

EB/Streymur did create two scoring opportunities towards the end of the half when Hans Pauli Samuelsen hit the post after a smart free kick combination and later when Sorin Anghel shot wide of the far post when he was in a relatively clear position but with an acute angle.

Just before the end of the 1st half defender Poul Ennigarð was sent off after a second yellow when he did a stupid and completely unnecessary freekick on the EB/Streymur half.

This could have been EB/Streymur’s lifeline, but when Rógvi Jacobsen made it 3-0 with an unstoppable volley within 10 minutes of the second half, there was no way back for EB/Streymur even with a man in advantage.

It could in fact have been even worse for EB/Streymur as Andy Olsen missed a penalty for ÍF just a couple of minutes later. Olsen bombarded the ball on the crossbar. (This was Andy Olsen’s second missed penalty of the season, but he doesn’t have to be too ashamed of that because almost half of all penalties in the Vodafone Division are missed this season. To be precise, 11 of 25 have been missed. That’s 44 %).

Five minutes from time EB/Streymur’s Alex dos Santos’s frustration became evident when also he was sent off after a second yellow card. He received the first just a few minutes earlier after a reckless challenge.

In the dying moments Arnbjørn Hansen got a consolation goal for EB/Streymur.

With the 3 points ÍF leapfrom B36 Tórshavn in the table to move up to 7th spot in the table, 5 points clear of KÍ Klaksvík in 9th spot. But with a superior goal difference compared to KÍ, the point-difference is effectively 6 points. With only 9 matches left, it looks a lot better for ÍF today than it did yesterday.

But for defending champions EB/Streymur things don’t look so bright at the moment. After winning 7-0 against KÍ Klaksvík a week ago with a new coach, the “new-coach effect” seams to have come to an abrupt end after losing 3-0 and 3-1 against AB Argir and ÍF Fuglafjørður, respectively. Lying in 5th place at the moment, EB/Streymur will not be playing European football next summer.

07 Vestur – B68 Toftir
1-0 Milan Pejcic

B68’s unbeaten run of 13 matches in succession came to an end today when they were defeated by rock bottom 07 Vestur who haven’t won since round 4.

Milan Pejcic fired 07 Vestur in front via a B68-leg after 7 minutes when B68 had failed to properly clear from a corner.

Jóhan Petur Poulsen was close to equalizing in the first half, but his shot from long range bounced off the crossbar.

Midway through the second half B68 were down to 10 men when centre back Jóhan Dávur Højgaard was dismissed for his second bookable offence.

But with 10 men B68 put heavy pressure on 07 Vestur in the last 20 minutes of the match, but several opportunities were squandered and 07 Vestur just managed to hold in to the 3 points.

07 Vestur’s new players have certainly strengthened the team, but the question is if they haven’t left it too late as they are still 6 points below the relegation line with only 9 matches to go. B68 dropped from the runners up spot to 3rd in the table, 2 points adrift of Víkingur. Today B68 were without injured veteran Øssur Hansen who has been responsible for many assists, while 18-year-old forward Jóan Símun Edmundsson was suspended. Edmundsson has just been included in Brian Kerr’s provisional 22-man squad for the world cup qualifier against France on Wednesday.

B68’s unbeaten run of 13 matches equalled their 1985 club record when they were also unbeaten in 13 matches. But the league then was only 14 matches compared to 27 now. In 1985 B68 lost the first match of the season 4-1 to TB Tvøroyri, but it was B68’s only loss of the season which earned them their second Faroese title, having won their maiden title in 1984. However, B68 won their first 3 matches of the 1986-season which took their unbeaten run to 16 . In the fourth round they were eventually beaten 3-0 by KÍ Klaksvík.

AB Argir – NSÍ Runavík 3-1 (1-1)
0-1 Christian Høgni Jacobsen
1-1 Dion Splidt
2-1 Stig-Roar Søbstad
3-1 Kenneth Jacobsen

AB Argir earned another 3 valuable points with an impressive win over NSÍ Runavík. And with 8 points between themselves and KÍ Klaksvík below the relegation line, AB looks to be home and dry.

NSÍ took the lead shortly after the first quarter of an hour with a lob from Christian Høgni Jacobsen, but it lasted only 4 minutes as Dion Splidt restored parity.

Both sides had chances in the second half. AB’s Nicolai Eriksen twice hit the woodwork, and once AB goalkeeper Tórður Thomsen saved from a clear Klæmint Olsen.

Midway through the second half AB’s new Norwegian signing Stig-Roar Søbstad fired AB in the lead with a well placed shot from the edge of the penalty area.

NSÍ had chances to equalize, but instead it was Kenneth Jacobsen who cemented the victory for AB when he was played clear by Søbstad.