May 04 & 05, 2012:
Round 07 of the premier league "effodeildin":

May 04

HB Tórshavn - B36 Tórshavn 2-1 (1-0)
1-0 Andrew av Fløtum
1-1 Róaldur Jacobsen
2-1 Jákup Slættalíð

After some disappointing tactical and uneventful Tórshavn-derbies of late, this one was again filled with drama: a beautiful opening goal, 3 red cards, late dramatic goals and a lucky escape and everything in between.

B36 had started brightly and Lukasz Cieslewicz had a fine opportunity when he turned on the edge of the penalty area but shot wide.

But after the first five minutes B36’s challenge faded and HB took over and had several clear-cut chances to score from during the first half, the best one from a penalty in the 13th minute, but Andrew av Fløtum missed from the spot as Meinhardt Joensen blocked the shot with his palm and was relieved when he saw Hallur Hansson blast the rebound over the empty goal. This was HB's fourth missed penalty out of five this season (you can see the "list of sins" here). It was the goalkeeper who had brought down Símun Samuelsen who was clean on goal.

However, av Fløtum repaired the damage about ten minutes later with a stunning long range effort into the top left corner to give HB the lead as they effectively punished B36 who carelessly gave away the ball between the midfield and the penalty area.

HB was close on other occasions also, twice hitting the woodwork and Samuelsen wasting another two opportunities, once when he stepped on the ball when he was played brilliantly played through by av Fløtum who has been in exceptional form this season, and the other time when he was clear with the goalkeeper but lobbed over the goal. And also Jógvan Skeel Nolsøe was close in front of goal, but he failed to connect with the square-ball from Samuelsen who had dribbled his way to the by-line.

But B36 almost scored right before half-time when Cieslewicz played Jákup á Borg through, but Teitur Gestsson was quick out of his goal to block with his legs.

In the second half, HB seemed content to sit back and defend their slender lead.

That job ought to have become easier when B36’s Símin Hansen in the 68th minute stupidly got himself a second yellow card, but it was from then on that 10-men b36 really put pressure on HB who were desperately defending and kicking away instead of playing the ball around which should be possible as they have an outstanding midfield.

Although B36 weren’t creating clear-cut scoring opportunities, it still seemed like a question of time until HB’s cowardly tactics of defending would cost a goal - maybe from a set piece or with a random ball into the box. And that’s what happened with less than six minutes remaining of normal time. Gestsson had made an initial save, but Róaldur Jacobsen headed the rebound into the goal for an equalizer for B36.

Although HB were stunned, they regrouped and started attacking again and as the clock was approaching 90 minutes, they so nearly got the winner, but only an incredible one-handed reflex save from Joensen managed to divert the finish from Christian R. Mouritsen around the post and eventually to a corner.

In Jákup av Slættalíð, central defender who had come on late in game, HB have a giant who is about 3 metres tall, and it was he who headed in a gigantic goal for HB from the corner to clinch victory in added time.

But the drama was far from over yet. B36 goalkeeper Joensen claimed that he had been fouled in connection with the corner and chased the referee to the half-way line to make his point clear with the result that he was given a second booking and off he had to go. Also B36 captain Klæmint Matras had followed along and he was given a straight red card for his antics.

With 8 against 11, it seemed game over for B36, but they so nearly got the equalizer as Súni Olsens’s free kick found the head of Danish defender Jonas Flindt Rasmusen who missed the goal by a whisker. Indeed an extremely lucky escape for HB.

B36 will now have some of their most important players suspended for their next match away to Víkingur, and should B36 lose, they will trail Víkingur by massive 12 points which would effectively end B36’s title-defence after only 8 rounds.

HB have now proven that their offence is of title-winning material, but defensively they have periods where they too easily come under unnecessary much pressure. But with a thin squad, HB could be sensitive to injuries and suspensions to key players.

NSÍ Runavík - Víkingur 0-2 (0-0)
0-1 Evrard Ble
0-2 Evrard Ble (pen)

Víkingur dominated most of the match but had to wait more than an hour until they finally penetrated the NSÍ defence with a fine headed goal in off the crossbar from Ivorian midfielder Evrard Ble who has been very prominent figure for Víkingur this season.

Ble doubled the lead from the penalty spot eight minutes later to preserve Víkingurs lead at the top by two points.

NSÍ are under the drop-line, and with matches against EB/Streymur and B36 coming up, they could stay there when the first third of the league has elapsed and all teams have played against each other once.

May 05

ÍF Fuglafjørður - EB/Streymur 1-2 (1-2)
1-0 Uni R. Petersen
1-1 Leif Niclasen
1-2 Arnbjørn Hansen

EB/Streymur climbed to 3rd in the table after their win against ÍF where they came from behind to win 2-1.

ÍF had taken the lead from a 7th minute corner where the ball fell to Uni R. Petersen who slotted home.

But EB/Streymur drew level within 10 minutes when Leif Niclasen took advantage of a slip-up in the ÍF defence to get clear and fire past Jákup Mikkelsen who early in the match had saved from a clear Arnbjørn Hansen.

But Hansen was to get on the score-sheet after 20 minutes when he headed EB/Streymur in front from Hans Pauli Samuelsen's free kick.

Between the goals Simon Skibsted had rattled crossbar with a free kick for ÍF.

ÍF had much possession in the second half but failed to create clear-cut chances as the final delivery into the box lacked quality. EB/Streymur on the other hand were happy to sit back and rely on the counter attacks and also got good scoring opportunities as ÍF were thin at the back as they were searching for the equalizer.

B68 Toftir - KÍ Klaksvík 0-2 (0-0)
0-1 Hjalgrím Elttør
0-2 Páll Klettskarð

Chances were few and far between and a scoreless draw looked like the end-result when KÍ suddenly scored twice at the very death. Hjalgrím Eltør made it 1-0 before Páll Klettskarð doubled the score the minute after.

VB Vágur - TB Tvøroyri 1-1 (1-0)
1-0 Jón Krosslá Poulsen
1-1 Martin Tausen

The two Suðuroy clubs shared the points in the Suðuroy-derby whrere FC Suðuroy took the lead within five minutes from the start as Jón Krosslá Poulsen scored FC Suðuroy's first league goal this season from a long range effort following a corner.

TB restored parity 10 minutes through the second half with a header from Martin Tausen.

With the draw FC Suðuroy are still rooted to the bottom of the table, 4 points from TB who are just above the relegation-line. It looks like the battle for avoiding relegation will be between these two and NSÍ Runavík who are sandwiched between them at the moment.

On wednesday the qarter finals of the cup competition will be played:

EB/Streymur - HB Tórshavn
Víkingur - FC Suðuroy