April 21, 2012:
Round 05 of the premier league "effodeildin":

NSÍ Runavík - HB Tórshavn 2-4 (2-0)
1-0 Árni Frederiksberg
2-0 Klæmint Olsen
2-1 Andrew av Fløtum
2-2 Hallur Hansson
2-3 Hallur Hansson
2-4 Andrew av Fløtum

HB were staring defeat in its eyes as they were trailing by two goals with a quarter of an hour remaining, but still came out victorious as they lethally punished the NSÍ-mistakes towards the end to win 4-2.

After HB had been the better team in the opening 10 minutes and where Christian R. Mouritsen had hit the top of the near post from an acute angle, the match evened out and most of the play took place on midfield and few scoring opportunities were created.

But then suddenly, two minutes before half-time, the game burst to life where NSÍ scored twice and HB missed a penalty:

Árni Frederiksberg put NSÍ ahead with a terrific free kick which he curled over the wall and into the back of the net just inside the right post.

A minute later Klæmint Olsen doubled NSÍ’s lead as he got clear in the penalty area.

And in added time HB were awarded a penalty when Fróði Benjaminsen after an aerial duel fell to the ground, claiming that he was pushed. But it was a harsh decision as there was nothing in it. And justice was probably served when NSÍ goalkeeper Kristian Joensen dived to his left to save the penalty from Christian R. Mouritsen.

Early in the second half NSÍ appealed for a penalty when forward Klæmint Olsen dribbled past three HB players before he went down in the penalty area, but it was shoulder-to-shoulder and not an infringement.

As NSÍ were sitting back defending as the second half progressed, HB got more and more of the play, but without really threatening, however. On the other hand NSÍ looked dangerous on the counter attacks and in one incident HB defender Rógvi Holm made a meal of the situation when he received a throw-in and allowed Olsen to get clear, but the HB goalkeeper Teitur Gestsson just managed to save the attempt through his legs.

Twenty minutes through the second half HB were given a lifeline when they again were awarded a penalty, but again the opportunity was squandered – and in a most bizarre way too. First Kristian Joensen saved from Vagnur Mohr Mortensen, but as he had moved too early, the penalty was ordered to be retaken. This time Mohr Mortensen fired straight into the centre of goal, but again the referee ordered the penalty to be retaken; this time because a HB player had entered the area too early. And when Mohr Mortensen made his third attempt, Joensen saved again from the poorly placed penalty.

Nothing suggested that HB would get anything from this game as they were just not creating the scoring opportunities, but after 72 minutes NSÍ failed to clear a cross that fell to an unmarked Andrew av Fløtum who swiftly scored from close range.

Ten minutes later HB got another goal out of nothing where NSÍ again failed to clear properly, and this time the ball fell to Hallur Hansson who bombarded the ball into the net for the equalizer.

And three minutes later, HB had made the perfect comeback, when Hansson beautifully bent a free kick over the wall and into the top corner to make it 3-2 for HB.

And HB weren´t finished yet, as they in added time made it 4-2 with a well worked move that started with a smart back-heel from Mouritsen to Tróndur Jensen, who with a terrific diagonal pass played Andrew av Fløtum clear on the left to fire the ball past Joensen in the NSÍ goal.

- Harsh for NSÍ who also were leading 2-0 against B68 last Sunday just to lose 3-2 in the end. But if they play like today, then NSÍ should have no fear of relegation.

HB on the other hand will have to play much better if they really intend to challenge for glory this season, despite winning. HB probably felt the miss of injured left back Alex dos Santos today, and it also helped when forward Andrew av Føtum came on for the second half and Tróndur Jensen, who released Jógvan Rói Davidsen on right back in the second half, as Jensen is the better ball player. And maybe Jensen was playing just as much on midfield, as HB had to gamble and played with only three in defence.

On Wednesday, HB visit KÍ Klaksvík in the quarter final of the cup competition. NSÍ were ousted from the competition after losing to KÍ.

B36 Tórshavn - EB/Streymur 1-2 (0-0)
0-1 Leif Niclasen
0-2 Leif Niclasen
1-2 Jonas Flindt Rasmussen

Because of a long injury list that includes forward Arnbjørn Hansen and important midfielder Pætur Dam Jacobsen, EB/Streymur’s game plan today was much more defensive than it often is, and relying mostly the counter attacks to get the goals. And getting their other influential midfielder Pauli Hansen substituted through injury after 35 minutes didn't help the visitors' cause. Also right back Gert Hansen was missing because he was playing in the handball finals the same day!

However, it didn't seem to matter too much as B36 don't seem to be quite as well oiled as they were last season – at least so far.

Although B36 had majority of possession, they rarely really threatened EB/Streymur's goal. It wasn't until just before half-time they had a real scoring attempt when Danish defender Jonas Flindt Rasmussen headed on the post. But before that EB/Streymur had had the best opportunity of the match when Levi Hansen got clear, but Meinhardt Joensen in the B36 goal made an excellent save.

In the second half EB/Streymur saw more of the possession and shortly after the hour-mark they took the lead through Leif Niclasen after some back and forth from an initial free kick.

Niclasen doubled EB/Streymur’s lead after 70 minutes after he put away the rebound from the goalkeeper who had saved the initial effort from Arnar Dam who had taken advantage of a mix-up in B36’s defence.

B36 then finally got their act together and pulled a goal back with a quarter of an hour to go with a header from Flindt Rasmussen from a corner, but as B36 write in English on their website, it was “too little too late”, as they failed to create clear-cut chances for an equalizer.

ÍF Fuglafjørður - Víkingur 1-2 (0-1)
0-1 Joseph Y. Bassene
0-2 Hjartvard Hansen
1-2 Høgni Zachariassen

Víkingur opened up a two-point gap at the top of the table with the win over ÍF who were equal on points before match.

Víkingur was the more eager team in the first half which paid dividend couple of minutes before half time with a stunning strike from Joseph Y. Bassene into the far corner.

Víkingur’s dominance continued in the second half and doubled their lead after 70 minutes when Hjartvard Hansen took the ball off the ÍF defence and cut inside before he fired the ball into the back of the net.

ÍF finally managed to put pressure on Víkingur in the last 25 minutes of the match and with 10 minutes remaining, Høgni Zachariassen scored from a corner.

Víkingur were pushed back in the final stages, but managed to hold firm.

Both teams were missing important players through injury. ÍF has had Bogi Løkin sidelined all season, and Alexandar Jovevic has just retuned but hasn’t gained full fitness and sat on the bench. Víkingur missed offensive player Kaj Leo í Bartalsstovu (who has been very impressive so far this season), Hans Jørgen Djurhuus and forward Lasse Qvist. Víkingur had only 14 players in total in the troop for today’s game, and no reserve goalkeeper.

Víkingur now have two relatively easy matches on the program against FC Suðuroy (h) and NSÍ Runavík (a) that could easily yield six points.

KÍ Klaksvík - TB Tvøroyri 0-0
The recipe for a stalemate is poor play between the penalty areas, and that's what both teams served on the plate today.

FC Suðuroy - B68 Toftir 0-1 (0-0)
0-1 Christian Høgni Jacobsen

After a catastrophic start to the season without a point for their first three matches – and without scoring a single goal – B68 have now won two in a row to settle their nerves; at least for a while.

In a match played in quite strong wind, B68 had more of the possession in both halves. The sole goal of the game came some ten minutes through the second half when left back Einar Hansen put in a cross to Christian Høgni Jacobsen to steer in.

FC Suðuroy rallied towards then end and especially threatened with set pieces, but B68 weathered the storm.