June 28, 2013:
Round 15 of the premier division "Effodeildin":

Víkingur - HB Tórshavn 2-4 (1-3)
1-0 Kaj Leo í Bartalsstovu
1-1 Símun Samuelsen
1-2 Gunnar Haraldsen
1-3 Fróði Benjaminsen
1-4 Bárður J. Heinesen
2-4 Finnur Justinussen

Víkingur lost on home soil for the first time this season as HB cruised to a 4-1 win, after recovering from a Víkingur goal after only 15 seconds.

Víkingur stormed out of the blocks to take the lead after only 15 seconds as Hjartvard Hansen on the right found Finnur Justinussen who made the cross to Kaj Leo í Bartalsstovu to head home from close range for a shock lead.

But the problem with first-minute goals is that there are 89+ minutes left to play. And HB didn’t seem affected by it as they quickly got their act together and started threatening at the other end, and after six minutes Víkingur goalkeeper Gezza Turi just managed to tip a shot from Fróði Benjaminsen over the crossbar.

Ten minutes later, HB equalized with a spectacular goal from Símun Samuelsen from 35 metres. Víkingur gave the ball away rather carelessly on midfield where Samuelsen picked it up, but with two HB players against four Víkingur defenders, the break seemed rather hopeless, but with a surprising shot from way out, Samuelsen with great finesse elegantly lifted the ball over Turi who helplessly watched the ball go over him and into the goal.

Víkingur now completely faded and left a great majority of the possession to HB who played with much more tempo than they often have done this season, and thus looking a lot more dangerous up front.

HB’s superiority gave them the lead after 34 minutes on a corner where central defender Gunnar Haraldsen headed in his 5th goal of the season.

And in first half’s stoppage time, HB further increased their lead following another corner where midfielder Bárður Olsen – who had come on midway through the first half for Heini Vatnsdal and played his best match for HB – with a brilliantly pass between the fullback and centre-back played Christian Mouritsen clear to set up Benjamisen to slot then ball into the back of the net.

Víkingur did have a couple of opportunities during the first half, and in one instance Teitur Gestsson in the HB goal was stretched to the limit to palm a shot around the post after great initial work from í Bartalsstovu who with great skills and a shot feint outplayed the HB defence.

Gestsson was alert again early in the second half as he once again made a fine save to deny Víkingur, but within 10 minutes of the second half, HB seemed to have decided the match with a fourth goal. Again it was after a corner, and this time it was Bárður J. Heinesen - who had come on for Andrew av Fløtum who got injured in a late tackle - who fired home from close range after the low cross fell to him in centre of goal. HB claimed they had scored in the corner just before the one that led to the goal, as the ball looked to have been mighty close to crossing the line before the goalkeeper cleared it for a corner.

HB seemed satisfied with the three goal lead and left the initiative to Víkingur although HB had a couple of opportunities that they should have gotten more from.

However, Víkingur pulled a goal back with ten minutes remaining of normal time directly on a free kick from Finnur Justinussen into the top corner.

And in the dying minutes Víkingur weren’t too far away from a dramatic equalizer as they first had a strong appeal for a penalty turned down where it appeared that the goalkeeper had caught the legs of Justinussen, before Sam Jacobsen few moments later hit the post with a header.

Although Víkingur maybe had the chances for an equalizer at the death, they had been outplayed for long periods of the match, and it’s difficult to see how HB can throw away a seven-point lead in the table when the league resumes after the summer break which lasts to 21 July when HB take on KÍ Klaksvík.

On Thursday 4 July, HB play away to ÍBV Vestmannaeyjar from Iceland in the first qualifying round of the Europa League.



ÍF Fuglafjørður - KÍ Klaksvík 3-1 (1-0)
1-0 Clayton Soares
1-1 Páll Klettskarð
2-1 Bogi Reinert
3-1 Jan Ellingsgaard

ÍF do their best in keeping up the pressure on HB Tórshavn with a comfortable win over KÍ Klaksvík who have lost all three matches under new coach Eyðun Klakstein who replaced Páll Guðlaugsson.

After KÍ had been the more dangerous team in the early stages, ÍF took the lead on the stroke of halftime when Brazilian striker Clayton Soares won the ball off a defender and shot past Gunnar á Steig in the KÍ goal who had replaced suspended Meinhardt Joensen.

But KÍ were level again just five minutes after the break with Páll Klettskarðs 9th goal of the season.

However, the home-team gradually gained the upper hand which paid dividend just after the hour-mark with a shot from midfielder Borgi R. Petersen, although the goal has since been registered as a Gunnar á Steig owngoal.

Shortly before the end, left back Jan Ellingsgaard made the points safe for ÍF with a fine solo effort before finding the back of the net with a precise shot.



TB Tvøryri - EB/Streymur 0-2 (0-1)
0-1 Leif Niclasen
0-2 Leif Niclasen

Having been placed under the relegation line after round seven, EB/Streymur had taken 17 points from a possible 21 in their last seven matches to climb to third in the table, and that great run was extended even further as they became the first team to beat TB on home soil this season.

EB/Streymur scored both of their goals a close to either side of half-time, with both goals coming from Leif Niclasen who now heading the top scorer list with 10 goals.

For a while, TB’s ticket for next season’s top flight has looked secure, but as AB are getting points on their account, TB are alongside Víkingur just four points ahead of them.


AB Argir - NSÍ Runavík 3-1 (1-0)
1-0 Karstin Højgaard
2-0 Dion Splidt
2-1 Pól Jóhannus Justinussen
3-1 Karstin Højgaard

Having looked certain for relegation, AB have won 10 points from a possible 12 in their last four games to suddenly be in contact with Víkingur and TB four points ahead of them.

The first half saw few scoring opportunities, but enough for AB to take the lead on a counterattack a couple of minutes before half-time where Karstin Højgaard finished inn of the post.

And it took AB only another couple of minutes to double their lead; this time directly on a corner from Dion Splidt. It was quite windy inni í Vika which is the highest located football ground in the Faroes.

NSÍ got back into the match after 70 minutes when Pól Jóhannus Justinussen bombarded the ball into the back of the net from the edge of the penalty area after a rebound.

And with five minutes remaining, NSÍ were just a whisker from the equalizer when Andrass Frederiksberg rattled the crossbar.

Instead it was AB who cemented their win in stoppage time when Højgaard got clear to score his second goal of the evening.

As TB Tvøroyri have two away matches next and then HB Tórshavn at home, it could mean that TB will still be sitting on 16 points, and should AB win their third match from now match against 07 Vestur, then AB will be just one point adrift of TB. Speculations are toll free, but the relegation battle is suddenly on again. 



B36 Tórshavn - 07 Vestur 0-0
After a slow start, B36 eventually started creating chances, but 07 Vestur could just as well have taken the lead with a long range effort from Tór-Ingar Akselsen who hit the cross bar.

But it was all B36 in the second half, but as several sitters were wasted, the final result was a 0-0 draw; B36’s 9th draw of the season.

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The league is now taking a summer break and will resume on 21 July. Meanwhile, EB/Streymur, HB Tórshavn, ÍF Fuglafjørður and Víkingur will play European football.