September 12, 2012:
Round 23 of the premier league "effodeildin":
B36 Tórshavn - EB/Streymur 1-4 (0-2)
0-1 Arnbjørn Hansen
0-2 Arnbjørn Hansen
1-2 Jákup á Borg
1-3 Hans Pauli Samuelsen
1-4 Arnbjørn Hansen
Although defending champions B36 Tórshavn have had a disastrous campaign this season, the quality of the team always looked like a potential stumbling block for EB/Streymur. But it was not to be so as EB/Streymur comfortably won 4-1.
After Arnbjørn Hansen had given EB/Streymur a 2-0 lead at half time, B36 looked to be back in the game when Jákup á Borg immediately after the restart pulled a goal back, but when Hans Pauli Samuelsen then restored the two-goal cushion on the hour-mark, the contest looked over, and shortly before the final whistle, Hansen completed his hat trick to make it 4-1.
Before that, B36’s Símin Hansen had been given straight red for a wild challenge on EB/Streymur’s right back Gert Hansen who went off injured. This was Hansen’s 12th red card in six years.
Víkingur - ÍF Fuglafjørður 0-3 (0-1)
0-1 Dánjal á Lakjuni
0-2 Clayton Soares
0-3 Clayton Soares
ÍF can’t afford to lose points if they want to win the title, and their toughest test of the run-in was against fellow title-challengers Víkingur. And after a comfortable 3-0 win – although the margin might flatter ÍF - it looks like ÍF will be absolutely ready to take advantage should EB/Streymur slip up. And EB/Streymur probably have the tougher program in the remaining 4 rounds where they first take on KÍ Klakvík on Sunday before they then visit Víkingur who already have beaten EB/Streymur three times this season (twice in the league and once in the cup final). ÍF’s last match of the season is at home against HB; a fixture that HB has found immensely difficult in the last few years, but which could prove tricky for ÍF, if it will be a championship-decider.
In today’s match Víkingur took the lead through Dánaj á Lakjuni from a free kick within the first quarter of an hour.
Although Víkingur had a majority of possession for the rest of the half, they failed to create scoring opportunities.
In the second half, ÍF’s Brazilian striker Clayton Soares swung his magic wand twice in the space of 15 minutes to bring ÍF on 3-0 and stay in the chase for the title while Víkingur now have likely outplayed their role in the title-race.
KÍ Klaksvík - TB Tvøroyri 1-1 (1-0)
1-0 Kristoffur Jakobsen
1-1 Óli Johannesen
After turbulence at the club with the parting with Serbian forward Bojan Timic, TB had to respond in a positive way, and they certainly did as they created bucked-loads of scoring opportunity in the opening 10 minutes, but without making any of them count, however. The closest was an effort on the post .
But as the game evolved, KÍ took more and more over, and five minutes before the break Kristoffur Jakobsen headed KÍ in front.
TB were close for an equalizer early in the second half, but again woodwork was in their way.
In the 74th minute KÍ were reduced to 10 men as Ivan Joensen was sent off, and three minutes later TB had taken advantage when veteran Óli Johannesen (with a record 83 caps for the Faroes) netted from a corner.
Both teams could have snatched it at the end, but it stayed 1-1 which was enough to lift TB above B68 Toftir on goal difference. It looks more and more likely for a relegation decider in the last match of the season where TB take on B68 Toftir.
FC Suðuroy - B68 Toftir 2-1 (0-1)
0-1 Jónleif Højgaard
1-1 John Tordar Poulsen (pen)
2-1 Dan Djurhuus
B68 had a golden opportunity to break two points clear of TB Tvøroyri with a victory over FC Suðuroy, but they failed, and even threw away a draw in injury time.
B68 were leading at half-time thanks to Jónleif Højgaard’s goal after 37 minutes, but the home-side levelled on a John Tordar Poulsen penalty within 10 minutes of the second half.
B68 played with 10 men for the last quarter of an hour as Jann Ingi Petersen received a second yellow card.
And in stoppage time, David Asare snatched a winner for FC Suðuroy; their only second win of the season. The other win was two round ago against TB, the other relegation-threatened team, so FC Suðuroy does it very fair, one could say.
But it’s a loss that could come to hunt B68 when come 6 October, the final round of the league when they visit TB what could prove to be a relegation-decider.
Mathematically, FC Suðuroy aren’t relegated yet, but they will have to win their remaining matches about 6-0 while TB and B68 lose all of theirs and draw in the last one. (Don’t bet o it…)
NSÍ Runavík - HB Tórshavn 2-0 (0-0)
1-0 Árni Frederiksberg
2-0 Jens Joensen
Not many scoring opportunities were created in the first half, where HB just had the edge in possession, but without being more dangerous than their opponents.
But HB were closest to taking the lead after a quarter of an hour with a Rókur av Fløtum Jespersen free kick from loooong range that smacked off the crossbar.
NSÍ were later went close with a long range drive from Magnus Olsen which HB goalkeeper Teitur Gestsson was relieved to see go wide of his post.
HB was the much better team from the start of the second half where they constantly tried to release Símun Samuelsen, and a couple of times succeeded with it, but when Samuelsen on one occasion got clear with the goalkeeper, although under pressure from the defender, the lob over NSÍ goalkeeper Kristian Joensen also went over the crossbar.
On another occasion earlier, Samuelsen was in a great position in the penalty area to shoot from a bit to the left, but squandered the opportunity when he instead chose to make an extra move.
It was also close when Fróði Benjaminsen got to the by-line to make the low cross in front of goal where the forward just failed to connect.
But NSÍ also threatened at the other end occasionally, and 12 minutes from the end, Árni Frederiksberg got clear in the penalty area to rifle past Gestsson to give NSÍ the lead.
HB had no response after this, and instead it was NSÍ who cemented their win in added time after a counter attack where a long ball forward played Jens Joensen (who had come on 3 minutes earlier and had already received a yellow card for a reckless challenge) clear to make it 2-0 for Kári Reynheim’s men on the day of the 22nd anniversary for the day when the Faroe Islands in their first ever qualifier beat Austria with Reynheim in the team.
With only 4 matches left and 5 points adrift of Víkingur in 4th place, HB will struggle to make it to Europe next season.
NSÍ are now equal on points with defending champions B36 Tórshavn.