June 13, 2007: Cup Semi-finals, 1st leg:
HB Tórshavn struggle to beat VB/Sumba in the 1st leg of the Cup semifinals
HB Tórshavn – VB/Sumba 3-1 (0-1)
0-1 Birgir Jørgensen
1-1 Milan Kuljic
2-1 Christian Høgni Jacobsen
3-1 Ólavur í Ólavstovu
Only a major upset in the second leg between VB/Sumba and HB can now prevent HB from reaching the Cup final, after HB beat VB/Sumba 3-1 at home this evening, but it wasn't without a fight from VB/Sumba.
HB threatened early on with a couple of corners, and in one incidence Christian Høgni Jacobsen hit the crossbar, but after some 10 minutes, VB/Sumba had a great opportunity to take the lead when Birgir Jørgensen beat HB’s (usual substitute) goalkeeper, Tróndur Vatnhamar, but the shot was cleared off the line by a defender.
At the other end, HB had several opportunities, but their finishing was ineffective. VB/Sumba's outstanding goalkeeper, Vlada Filipovic, was also one of the reasons for that, as he was in great form.
Milan Kuljic fired a shot just over the crossbar, and Jákup á Borg probably should have done better when he was played clear on the right hand side of the goal area – although from an acute angle - but his shot went across the face of goal. HB had several other shots on goal, but either the goalkeeper saved it or it was blocked by a VB/Sumba leg in the often crowded penalty area.
But half an hour into the match, VB/Sumba took the lead when an unmarked Birgir Jørgensen in HB's goal area headed a crossed free kick into the back of the net.
But a short while after, HB were awarded a penalty when Hans á Lag was brought down in the penalty area, but although it didn't look as the most obvious penalty, the VB/Sumba players didn't do much of protesting (as they often do:-), so maybe the referee got it right after all…
However, Jákup á Borg was chosen as the executor of the penalty, but it wasn't a lethal execution, as Vlada Filipovich dived to his left and saved the shot (and actually held the ball too).
Instead VB/Sumba were close to 2-0 shortly after, when Birgir Jørgensen had another opportunity, but this time the goalkeeper saved his effort.
Although it was mostly HB who had the ball, it must be said that VB/Sumba looked to have improved a great deal since they visited HB in the league 6 weeks ago. VB/Sumba also did what they could to take the tempo out of the match and stop the flow of HB's play by laying on the ground "supposedly" injured; especially their goalkeeper was "guilty" of that, as he constantly had to have the medical staff on to the pitch to spray "magic pain-relief" on his body.
The second half followed the pattern of the first half, where HB created the opportunities to get the goals, but they just weren't effective enough. - Jákup á Borg was closest when his shot from the edge of the penalty area struck the underside of the crossbar, but it stayed out – and one started to wonder if this was going to be one of those days…
But about 20 minutes into the second half, VB/Sumba's Jákup Olsen was shown the red card for a second bookable offense, but this didn't seem to hamper VB/Suba at first, as Birgir Jørgensen shortly after went close to increase VB/Sumba's lead, but his effort ended in the side netting once more.
But within a couple of minutes HB forced the equalizer. HB had a free kick just outside the penalty area and Milan Kuljic bombarded it straight into the top left corner. – A very fine goal from Kuljic against his former team mates.
Just 3 minutes later, HB took the lead when Christian Høgni Jacobsen fired a low shot into the back of the net from just inside the penalty area.
Six minutes later, HB increased their odds of making the final, when Ólavur í Ólavstovu made it 3-1 with a long range effort which took a wicked deflection off a VB/Sumba player and deceived the goalkeeper.
The second leg will be played in Vágur on 11 July where VB/Sumba will have to produce something really special, if they are to qualify for the final, being 3-1 down. – HB look safe!
Skála – EB/Streymur 0-2 (0-0)
0-1 Ronnie Samuelsen
0-2 Hanus Eliasen
Skála dominated the first half, but were unable to penetrate EB/Streymur's defense. In the second half EB/Streymur scored twice with goals from Ronnie Samuelsen and Hanus Eliasen. The first one was in connection with a corner early in the second half which wasn't properly cleared, and when the ball was crossed for a second time, Samuelsen took full advantage. The second goal came after 25 minutes of the second half, when a free kick was sent in front of goal were Hanus Eliasen was ready to execute. Skála now have an uphill battle on 11 July, when the second leg will be played.
See results and goal scorers in the Cup competition here
July 11, 2007: Cup Semi-finals, 2nd leg:
VB Sumba - HB Tórshavn 0-1 (0-0)
0-1 Ólavur í Ólavstovu
HB secured their place in the Cup final with a 1-0 away win over VB/Sumba.
VB/Sumba started brightly and managed to put a lot of pressure on the HB defense, but as the match progressed, HB worked their way into it and seemed to have the situation under control.
The match looked set to end in stalemate, but the referee added 7 minutes of stoppage time and deep into these, Ólavur í Ólavstovu found the winner for HB, who won 4-1 on aggregate.
EB/Streymur - Skála 1-0 (0-0)
1-0 Bárður Olsen
EB/Streymur had a two-goal cushion from the 1st leg, which Skála never really managed to threaten this evening. EB/Streymur had fielded both of their new Hungarian players, and one of them almost scored in his debut, but Skála's goalkeeper pushed the shot onto the post and away to safety. But about 10 minutes from time, the goalkeeper was not so lucky when he made a meal of a long shot from Bárður Olsen. 1-0 to EB/Strymur on the night and 3-0 on aggregate.
EB/Streymur meet HB Torshavn in the Cup final on August 15 2007, in Gundadalur Stadion.
See results and goal scorers in the Cup competition here
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