May 07 & 08, 2011: Round 06 of the Vodafone Division:

May 07

Víkingur - B68 Toftir 2-1 (0-1)
0-1 Ibrahima Camara
1-1 Sam Jacobsen (pen)
2-1 Sølvi Vatnhamar

B68 took the lead against run of play midway through the half as Senegalese forward Ibrahima Camara scored on a rebound off the cross bar from Kristin Anton Andreasen initial header.This was the 19-year old Camara’s 5th goal in 6 rounds which puts him joint top of the top scorer list alongside Klælmint Olsen and Christian Høgni Jacobsen, both of NSÍ.

But B68 improved much in the second half but paid dearly for not making their scoring opportunities count as Víkingur finished strongly to score twice in the last 20 minutes of the match.

Sam Jacobsen equalized on a penalty in the 70th minute after B68 goalkeeper Tórður Thomsen had committed the foul. With 8 minutes to go, Sølvi Vatnhamar grabbed the winner for Víkingur with a long range effort which the B68 goalkeeper misjudged. From hero to villain, as Thomsen had kept B68 in the game in the first half with a number of saves.

May 08

HB Tórshavn - EB/Streymur 3-2 (2-0)
1-0 Fróði Benjaminsen
2-0 Owngoal
2-1 Egil á Bø
3-1 Rói Danielsen
3-2 Gert Hansen

Goals change matches, the saying is. Last week HB failed to score on their first half opportunities against ÍF Fuglafjørður and lost the game as a consequence. Today HB scored on their first opportunity which proved decisive as EB/Streymur turned up the heat in the second half.

HB took the lead in the 4th minute on a penalty after Fróði Benjaminsen had been brought down by right back Gert Hansen as Benjaminsen entered the penalty area from the side. Benjaminsen, who missed from the spot against ÍF in the previous round, was chosen again to take the penalty himself, and this time he executed with perfection with a hard well placed shot to the right of the goal.

EB/Streymur looked sluggish and uninspired – especially in the first quarter of an hour. Maybe their 3-0 away win in the quarter finals of the cup on Wednesday had taken a toll on their legs.

However, EB/Streymur were close with an equalizer 15-20 minutes through the match when Gert Hansen’s (?) header clipped the crossbar.

At the other end Benjaminsen went close with a shot from just outside the penalty area, but the EB/Streymur goalkeeper got his hands behind the ball (and pushed it onto the post and out?).

After some 30 minutes HB doubled their lead when Hendrik Rubeksen’s flat cross from the byline was turned into the net by EB/Streymur defender Marni Djurhuus. Rubeksen, who has been playing at the left full position in the past, played as a forward today; replacing Símun Samuelsen who was out of action.

Sorin Anghel should have pulled a goal back for EB/Streymur before half time, but completely clear in the goal area, he headed wide from the perfect cross.

EB/Streymur must have received a hairdryer-speech at half time, as they looked much more eager in the second half. They immediately put HB under sustainable pressure which paid dividend seven minutes into the second half. After a scramble, the ball bounced outside from the penalty area where EB/Streymur defender and captain Egil á Bø from 25 meters scored with a cracking shot that went in of the post.

EB/Streymur had most of the possession and kept the pressure on HB who were mostly defending, but still manage to create a couple of opportunities; in one instance Jógvan Andrias Nolsøe was close with a downwards header.

But after 70 minutes HB restored the two-goal cushion out of almost nothing. They had a free kick in the middle of EB/Streymur’s half which Kári Nielsen knocked into the penalty area where nobody seemed to make contact with the ball which sailed over the goalkeeper and into the goal. However, the referee credited Rói Danielsen with the goal, so maybe head slightly touched the ball.

EB/Streymur didn’t surrender because of the goal and after 81 minutes Gert Hansen scored a pinball- machine-goal with a shot from the edge of the penalty area that went in off both posts, after a scramble where HB failed to clear the ball away. This set up thrilling finale where EB/Streymur pressed hard for the equalizer and HB defended desperately.

HB could also have scored at the other end in the dying minutes and especially Kristin R. Mouritsen had a golden opportunity to close the game as he was played clear with EB/Streymur goalkeeper René Tórgarð who blocked with his legs. But in the end it didn’t matter for HB as they held out to the end.

EB/Streymur, pre-season red-hot favourites for the title have now only take 1 point from their last three league games. Part of the story is that they have been missing injured Daniel Udsen and forward Arnbjørn Hansen. Hansen came on for the second half today, however. Although EB/Streymur have such good material to rely on, they miss the sharpness of Hansen and maybe also the terrific passes from Udsen.

But that should take nothing from HB’s performance as they also are with out some of their best men. Both forwards, Símun Samuelsen and Jón Krosslá Poulsen, were missing today – the latter because of suspension and the other assumingly because of injury. Also winger Rógvi Poulsen has been sidelined through injury for weeks now and the same has forward Andrew av Fløtum, who has started training again after a hamstring. Midfielder Hanus Thorleifsson is also on the injury list. They are all class players.

But that has made room for some of HB’s homemade youngsters to prove their worth, and they are improving for every match. And that is quite positive as the homemade youngsters have been given very few opportunities during the last years.

On Wednesday HB take on Víkingur while EB/Streymur entertain KÍ Klaksvík.

NSÍ Runavík - 07 Vestur 9-0 (3-0)
1-0 Klæmint A. Olsen
2-0 Christian Høgni Jacobsen
3-0 Klæmint A. Olsen
4-0 Klæmint A. Olsen
5-0 Christian Høgni Jacobsen
6-0 Einar T. Hansen
7-0 Jann Martin Mortensen
8-0 Magnus H. Olsen
9-0 Jens Joensen

Really, 9-0 doesn't need much of any explanation. On average, that would mean a goal every 10th minute, and that’s roughly what happened after Klæmint Olsen gave NSÍ the lead after 3 minutes. A minute after the break, Olsen had completed his hat tric to make it 4-0. Einar Hansen’s goal for 6-0 was directly on free kick.

Maybe it says something about 07 Vestur’s performance that they didn’t even get a yellow card – not that it’s something you should strive for… as such…

This might not be fair, but as you might remember, 07 Vestur’s goalkeeper Hans Jørgensen was stretchered off the pitch last Wednesday in the cup quarterfinal against KÍ Klaksvík and had been replaced by Bárður Johannesen, former HB goalkeeper who retired in 2006. However, last season he replaced B71’s Serbian goalkeeper Predrag Marcovic, when he was out injured for several weeks.

ÍF Fuglafjørður - B71 Sandoy 1-2! (0-1)
0-1 Thomas Hans Rubeksen (pen)
0-2 Tijani Mohammed
1-2 Chris Muomaife

With their win over ÍF, B71 have produced the biggest surprise of the season so far.

B71 took the lead with a penalty from Thomas Hans Rubeksen after a quarter of an hour.

ÍF were close with the equalizer ten minutes before the break when they hit the bar twice in succession.

ÍF put heavy pressure on B71 in the closing minutes, but instead it was B71 who made it 2-0 through Tijani Mohammed with five minutes remaining of normal time.

Although Nigerian Chris Muomaife pulled a goal back for ÍF the minute after, it was to late to salvage a point.

ÍF have now lost 3 of 4 games at home. And for the first time this season B71 have moved off the last place to no. 9, which still means relegation, but they only trail B68 by 1 point. However, B68 should be too good to really get involved in the relegation battle.

KÍ Klaksvík - B36 Tórshavn 0-2 (0-1)
0-1 Jákup á Borg
0-2 Lukasz Cieslewicz

The top match was a dull affair with few scoring opportunities. The strong wind didn’t help either.

After a goalless first half, B36 finally broke the deadlock 5 minutes through the second half when the KÍ goalkeeper’s goal kick was caught in by wind end ended in front of Jákup á Borg who took advantage and fired the ball into the back of the net.

Polish forward Lukasz Cieslewicz doubled B36’s lead with an individual effort 20 minutes later.

KÍ had a couple of chances to score after that, but Kristoffur Jakobsen’s long range shot hit the inside of the post and stayed out and Hjalgrím’s Elttør’s effort was saved on the line, although KÍ claimed the ball had passed the goal line.

After 6 matches, B36 have only conceded three goals and they seem to be very difficult to beat as they are very well organized defensively.