August 31 & Sep. 01, 2008: Round 21 of the Formula Division:
August 31
HB Tórshavn – B71 Sandoy 6-0 (2-0) 1-0 Kári Nielsen 2-0 Andrew av Fløtum 3-0 Páll Mohr Joensen 4-0 Páll Mohr Joensen 5-0 Milan Kuljic 6-0 Rógvi Poulsen
Another stroll in the park for HB as they beat a poor B71 6-0. As on Wednedsay, when HB beat Skála 6-1, HB didn't do any spectacular today. One explanation for the rout was that B71's right back, Símin Hansen (one of their best players), had to replace the injured goalkeeper Símun Rógvi Hansen at half time. Also B71's Brazilian forward Clayton Soares went out with a shoulder injury midway through the first half.
The first quarter of an hour of the match was an even affair where B71 maybe had the best opportunity when a flat shot from long range went across the face of goal.
HB then gradually got more and more of the possession and were having finishes and a goal looked coming.
Vagnur Mohr Mortensen went close with a free kick, but B71 goalkeeper Símun Rógvi Hansen made a diving save.
But around the half hour mark, B71 couldn't resist any more. From a corner, Hans á Lag headed on the crossbar, but midfielder Kári Nielsen was on place for the rebound to score one of his rare goals.
B71's chances of a come back weren't improved when B71's Brazilian forward Clayton Soares went off with a shoulder injury, although Soares hasn't been as sharp in front of goal this season as he used to be.
Gudmund Nielsen tried his best to pull one back for B71. First, Marcin David tipped a long range effort from Nielsen over the bar, before Nielsen moments later in full speed got past several HB-defenders and broke into the penalty area, but Hans á Lag blocked Nielsen's shot with a well timed tackle. This was B71's last effort on goal and they never got close to scoring during the rest of the match.
Instead HB doubled their lead just before half time when Andrew av Fløtum scored from just outside the penalty area with a well placed flat shot that went in just inside the post. The goalkeeper looked a bit passive, and maybe he was troubled by the injury which forced him to be substituted at half time. As B71 had no substitute goalkeeper, defender Símin Hansen had to take the position between the sticks.
The 2nd half was one way traffic.
Páll Morh Joensen scored twice to make it 4-0 20 minutes into the half. The first an easy tap in from close range, and then with a header at the near post after a cross from Andrew av Fløtum on the left.
Milan Kuljic then made it 5-0 on the rebound from Rógvi Poulsen's header on the crossbar. Poulsen still managed to get on the score sheet himself near the end when he with a touch changed the direction of an Andrew av Fløtum shot.
6-1 and 6-0 for HB in their last two matches. Maybe they instead should challenge Nadal or Federer in the US Open which takes place in these days...
After playing several of the top teams in a row, B71 will finally have some, on paper at least, easier matches on the schedule: Skála (h), KÍ (a), B36 (a), B68 (h). This will be make or break-time for B71.
EB/Streymur - B68 Toftir 2-1 (2-1) 0-1 Keita 1-1 Sorin Anghel 2-1 Hans Pauli Samuelsen
As the best away team, maybe it was B68 who should be the first team to escape with a point from við Margáir, EB/Streymur's home ground, where they have a 100% record.
And B68 threatened to do just that when they took the lead with a header from the Senegalese player, Keita, a quarter of an hour into the match.
But in the last 15 minutes of the first half, EB/Streymur turned it around in 7 minutes with goals from Rumanian Sorin Anghel first and then from Hans Pauli Samuelsen, who scored on a free kick.
Although B68 had plenty of possession in the 2nd half, EB/Streymur kept it tight at the back to keep their 100% home-record intact.
That means that EB/Streymur only need 9 points in their last remaining 6 matches to secure the title.
It's still remarkable that B68 with a goal difference of minus 5 is still the best ranked away team.
Although the score-line could suggest an exciting match, it wasn't, really. ÍF made a bright start, but NSÍ eventually got the upper hand which produced the opener after 17 minutes, a shot from Hungarian forward Karoly Potemkin who has now scored in his 3 last matches.
8 minutes from half time, Øssur Dalbúð made it 2-0 after ÍF's goalkeeper couldn’t hold on to Bogi Løkin's initial shot.
On the hour mark, Hjalgrím Elttør made it 3-0.
ÍF pulled two goals back last 6 minutes (one of the goals coming from Andy Olsen, who switched from NSÍ in the summer break), but the victory was never in doubt for NSÍ.
With the 3 points, NSÍ stay in runners up position, 1 point ahead of HB and B36.
ÍF are still 5 points ahead of B71 in 9th position, but they won't feel safe yet as those 5 points could decrease to only 2 if B71 beat Skála and ÍF lose to EB/Streymur in the next round, which isn't before 14/15 September, as the Faroe Islands play international qualifiers 06 and 10 September.
Víkingur - B36 Tórshavn 1-2 (1-2) 0-1 Hanus Thorleifsson 1-1 Sam Jacobsen (Pen) 1-2 Jákup á Borg
A frantic start produced 2 goals within 10 minutes.
B36 immediately took the lead with a goal from Hanus Thorleifsson, but Víkingur had equalized with a penalty from Sam Jacobsen before 10 minutes had elapsed of the clock.
On the half-hour mark, Jákup á Borg scored the winning goal for the visitors.
September 01
Skála – KÍ Klaksvík 1-0 (1-0) 1-0 Bogi Gregersen
With their backs against the wall, Skála beat KÍ 1-0 to keep their hope alive of staying in the Formula Division. Jónhard Frederiksberg set up Bogi Gregersen to score the winner a couple of minutes before half time.
Had Skála lost, the gap to KÍ in the life-saving 8th place would have increased to 9 points, and that would have meant certain relegation for Skála. But as Skála won, the gap instead shrunk to only 3 points.
Skála are now equal on points with B71 in 9th place. Those two meet in the next round, on September 14. At the same time KÍ visit B36 who are unbeaten at home. This means that if we get a winner between B71 and Skála, the winner will be equal on points with KÍ, if KÍ lose to B36.
The bottom-two teams in the table will be relegated.