September 26 & 27, 2010: Round 24 of the Vodafone Division:
September 26
B71 Sandoy – FC Suðuroy 2-2 (0-1) 0-1 Dan Djurhuus 0-2 Teitur Tausen 1-2 Høgni Midjord (pen) 2-2 Thomas Hans Rubeksen
B71 came from two goals down to rescue a point to stay 4 points clear of Suðuroy below the drop-line with only three matches remaining of the season. However, all hope is not lost for Suðuroy as they will fancy their chances to get 3 points in their last match away to rock button AB. Should they bag 3 points there, they will “only” need a draw at home against either B68, who are a lousy away team, or against Víkingur (also at home), which should be a much more difficult task. - That providing that B71 lose their remaining matches which look troublesome: First away to ÍF, then at home against EB/Streymur before the last match of the season away to NSÍ.
Suðuroy had the upper hand in the first half and took the lead ten minutes before half time with a fine move that set up Dan Djurhuus to finish.
It looked even brighter for the visitors when they doubled their lead just three minutes after the interval with a goal from Teitur Tausen.
But B71 pulled a goal back less than ten minutes later when Høgni Midjord converted a penalty which had been awarded when Danilo Kovasevic was brought down when he had been played clear by Midjord.
B71 now smelled an equalizer and improved, but were lucky when Palli Augustinussen hit the post for Suðuroy.
Lady Luck smiled B71's way again just before the half hour mark when a Suðuroy defender fell which allowed Mads Hentxe to finish, but although goalkeeper Kuzma saved initially, Thomas Hans Rubeksen scored on the rebound to grab the equalizer which could be worth a ticket for next season’s top flight.
B36 squandered a bucket load of scoring opportunities during both halves, but made one of the opportunities count midway through the second half when Hjalgrím Elttør set up Róaldur Jacobsen to score with a terrific shot.
B68 took the lead after only four minutes when Ahmed Keita, who was surrounded by four defenders, still managed to wrench his way through to put the host in front.
A quarter of an hour into the second half Pól Jóhannus Justinussen made it 2-0 for B68 with a header from a corner.
EB/Streymur put heavy pressure on HB from the start of the match and looked able to score every time they got close to the penalty area as they combined well and had lot of movement both on and off the ball.
EB/Streymur's pressure paid off after only 8 minutes, although the goal was mainly a result of sloppy defending from HB. A long ball forward was extended with a header over HB's sleeping defence which allowed Arnbjørn Hansen to get clear, and although he was almost caught again by central defender Thórður Hreiðarsson, Hansen shrugged off the challenge and slipped the ball past Marcin Dawid in goal.
EB/Streymur continued to dominate and a few moments later, Leif Niclasen should have doubled EB/Streymur's lead as he received a rebound from the goalkeeper, but with the goal at his mercy, Niclasen managed to shoot wide of goal. – Chances don't come bigger than that.
Eventually – after 15-20 minutes – HB worked their way into the match and started getting closer to EB/Streymur's goal. HB's more or less only offensive threat was Símun Samuelsen on the left, and several times he got to the by-line inside the penalty area to make the cross. It was close a couple of times and once Rógvi Poulsen had a clear sight of goal, but he blasted the ball high and wide. But in fairness, it was a difficult ball to keep low.
In the 37th minute, Samuelsen, who maybe played his best match of the season (he went off injured in the second half), once more raced down the left hand side and entered the penalty area with speed and went down to the challenge of Sorin Anghel, who played in defence again today. The referee deemed there had illegal contact and awarded the penalty.
Andrew av Fløtum was chosen as executer, but he did most things wrong as he stopped before he fired the shot, but feinted only himself and not goalkeeper René Tórgarð who was happy to see the weak low shot bounce off the post and out to safety. But maybe the blame should be put on the bench as the coaches should know that av Fløtum missed two out of five penalties last season and missed again in the first match this season against FC Suðuroy.
However, HB still managed to force the equalizer four minutes from halftime as Samuelsen once again got to the by-line to put in a cross which the EB/Streymur defence didn't clear properly. The situation was reminiscent to the opportunity Rógvi Poulsen had a few moments earlier, but this time he managed to keep the ball under the crossbar as he fired it into the top far corner with some aplomb.
HB were best in the first 20 minutes of the second half and had a series of corners. But it almost cost in one incident as EB/Streymur countered on the left through Leif Niclasen who got around the advancing goalkeeper, but from a somewhat acute angle, Niclasen shot across the face of goal. But a player in the top division still ought to have hit the target.
Later, HB were just a whisker from taking the lead when Samuelsen at the far post struck the post after a long cross from the left.
After 20 minutes, EB/Streymur got the upper hand again and pressured HB back to defend for most of the remaining 25 minutes. Arnbjørn Hansen was close once with a clever shot from the edge of the penalty area as he turned the defender, but he ball went just wide of the post.
There were lots of tense moments in the HB defence during the closing minutes, but the defence stood firm and protected their goal well and mostly kept EB/Streymur from real scoring opportunities – although loose balls in the area sometimes created havoc.
HB will be more content with the draw than EB/Streymur as HB now don´t need help from others to retain their title. If HB beat NSÍ at home, then they “only” need to win one and draw one of the other two remaining matches against ÍF Fuglafjørður and B36 to win the title.
The matches in the next round have been brought forward to Saturday (from Sunday) because of the European qualifiers next week. Most eyes will be turned to Gundadalur Stadium where HB take on NSÍ in the top clash.
EB/Streymur vs. HB Tórshavn
NSÍ Runavík – AB Argir 2-1 (1-1) 1-0 Christian Høgni Jacobsen 1-1 Tróndur Sigurðsson 2-1 Jens Joensen
NSÍ had to work for their win against AB who played for their mathematical chance of avoiding relegation. For that to happen, AB would have to win today's match plus the other remaining three, while B71 do not pick up another point. AB didn't win and will therefore be relegated at the end of the season.
Although Christian Høgni Jacobsen gave NSÍ the lead just before half time there was still time for AB to get back on level terms before the half-time whistle with a goal from Tróndur Sigurðsson.
NSÍ finally got their winning goal 25 minutes through the second half when central defender Jens Joensen head home from a corner.
Just like HB, NSÍ can also decide their fate without help from others. Because of their superior goal difference over HB, two wins and a draw should be enough to send the title NSÍ's way.