May 09, 2012: The Cup Competition, Semi-finals, 1st leg:

EB/Streymur - HB Tórshavn 4-1 (1-1)
0-1 Hallur Hansson
1-1 Hans Pauli Samuelsen
2-1 Sorin Anghel
3-1 Arnbjørn Hansen
4-1 Arnbjørn Hansen

HB were leading 1-0 and missed a penalty in the first half, but lost 4-1 in the end as they became over-courageous or naive when they were chasing a draw and were punished by EB/Streymur’s counterattacks.

HB drew first blood when Fróði Benajaminsen fired well over the goal, while EB/Streymur responded immediately when Leif Niclasen forced HB goalkeeper Teitur Gestsson into a diving save in the sixt minute.

The minute after HB were leading 1-0. A long high ball was knocked forward into the EB/Streymur penalty area where Jógvan Andrias Skeel Nolsøe sandwiched between two EB/Streymur defenders stretched highest to take the ball down with his foot and got it over to Christian R. Mouritsen who after a couple of dribbles before he got it over to Hallur Hansson who got clear to fire past René Tórgarð.

HB were on fire and looked capable of scoring every time they got forward. Símun Samuelsen was very close when he in centre of goal curled a shot a whisker wide of the left post. Also Mouritsen was close, but Tórgarð saved on the line.

But HB’s best chance to double their lead came just after the half-hour when HB were awarded a penalty as Andrew av Fløtum was brought down in the penalty area. But for HB, penalties aren’t really a scoring opportunity, as they have missed four out of five in the league, and you have of course already figured out where this is going. – Yes, HB missed yet another penalty as Tórgarð saved the weak and poorly placed penalty from Hallur Hansson.

Instead it was EB/Streymur who drew level four minutes later with a penalty of their own that was awarded when Soring Anghel was played through and was caught by the goalkeeper. Hans Pauli Samuelsen converted safely from the spot.

Both teams were going for the victory in the second half, but is was EB/Streymur who were having the more finishes – usually from counterattacks. HB only tested Tórgarð a couple of time, whereas Gestsson was called upon regularly to stop the shots.

But 10 minutes during the second half, Gestsson was left helpless as EB/Streymur countered through Arnbjørn Hansen who wasn’t properly challenged before he played the ball across to an unmarked Sorin Anghel to put EB/Streymur in front.

HB then started chasing a draw which left them vulnerable at the back and in the 77th minute they were punished when Hans Pauli Samuelsen set up Arnbørn Hansen to fire the ball into the back of the net via the woodwork.

But HB didn’t seem to have their mathematics right as they were still chasing another goal instead of making sure that EB/Streymur didn’t score their fourth. Because at 1-3, HB would still go through with 2-0 at home, whereas at 1-4 HB would have to win 3-0 at home. And that's exactly what HB need now as EB/Streymur did get that fourth goal as they countered once again and Arnbjørn Hansen got clean on goal where he rarely misses, and he didn’t this time either - in the 93rd minute.

HB now have a gigantic mountain to climb and it will really take a special effort to win 3-0 against an EB/streymur team who will be able to sit back and rely on the counterattacks which they master so well.

Víkingur – FC Suðuroy 1-0 (1-0)
1-0 Evrard Ble (pen)

FC Suðuroy had only one ting in mind and that was to defend. They did that well throughout most of the match, but in the 12th minute it went wrong, when Víkingur were awarded a penalty which Evrard Ble safely scored on.

Víkingur will still be favourites to go through, but on home soil the Suðuroy team should have a fighting chance to make the upset.

May 23, 2012: The Cup Competition, Semi-finals, 2nd leg:

HB Tórshavn – EB/Streymur 5-2 (2-0)
1-0 Owngoal
2-0 Símun Samuelsen
3-0 Rógvi Holm
3-1 Sorin Anghel
3-2 Levi Hanssen
4-2 Hallur Hansson
5-2 Fróði Benjaminsen

EB/Streymur have qualified for their 6th cup final in succession despite losing 5-2 against HB Tórshavn, but EB/Streymur go through on the away goals rule.

Having lost 4-1 in the 1st leg, HB had a tough mountain to climb, but for a while it was HB who were going through as they were leading 3-0 after an hour.

After Teitur Gestsson had made a couple of crucial saves to keep HB in the contest, HB took a 2-0 lead at halftime; the first goal thanks to an EB/Streymur owngoal and the second coming from Símun Samuelsen.

HB was right back in the contest again and when Rógvi Holm made it HB 3-0 about a quarter of an hour through the second half, it was suddenly HB who would go through to the final on the away goals rule after the 4-1 result from the first leg.

But within minutes HB wrecked it again for themselves as their defensive weaknesses were once again exposed and in six minutes, Soring Anghel and Levi Hanssen had pulled two goals back for EB/Streymur – and HB were back at square one, needing to score another three goals to win the tie.

But it was so close!

After EB/Streymur had wasted some huge chances, Hallur Hansson was played clear to make it 4-2 before Fróði Benjaminsen increased to 5-2 shortly before the final whistle. There were still some nervy seconds left, but after the one attempt, EB/Streymur could finally breathe a sigh of relief when then referee blew his whistle for the last time.

FC Suðuroy – Víkingur 2-1 (0-0)
1-0 Jón Krosslá Poulsen
1-1 Lasse Qvist
2-1 Palli Augustinussen

Relegation-threatened FC Suðuroy nearly pulled off a major surprise of qualifying for the cup final, but in the end they lose on the away goals rule after beating league-leaders Víkingur 2-1.

After a goalless first half, where the home team had been the closer to scoring, it took FC Suðuroy only two minutes to take the lead in the second half when Palli Augustinussen played Jón Krosslá Poulsen clear to fire past Gezza Turi in the Víkingur goal.

A few minutes later, Suðuroy hit the post from a corner, but on the hour-mark, Danish forward Lasse Qvist netted for Víkingur to put them on cup final-course.

But Suðuroy got renewed hope when Palli Augustinussen made it 2-1 with three minutes remaining of normal time.

However, time quickly ebbed out and Víkingur managed to hold on to their 2-1 defeat that would put them through to the final on the away goals rule.

The final between EB/Streymur and Víkingur will be played on 25 August 2012.