August 15 & 16, 2010: Round 18 of the Vodafone Division:

August 15

B36 Tórshavn – HB Tórshavn 1-0 (0-0)
1-0 Hjalgrím Elttør

The first half was a very even affair with very few scoring opportunities. – In fact, the only qualified finish was a B36 attempt after 12 minutes when Bárður Olsen after a simple shot-feint got into a fine position to shoot from just outside the penalty area, but the low shot went just wide of the post.

B36 threatened early on in the second half; first with a shot from Hjalgrím Elttør and moments later defender Dimitrije Jankovic’s header from a corner went narrowly wide of the post.

HB then had their best period of the match where they had majority of possession and created decent opportunities – but it lasted only for about 10 minutes.

Fróði Benjaminsen, who maybe got a slight bump from B36 captain Klæmint Matras just outside the penalty area, made the most of it to get the freekick in a dangerous position. Milan Kuljic’s attempt over the goal was ordered to be retaken as the B36 wall had advanced too early, and from the re-take, Símun Samuelsen fired straight into the wall – as usual. But the rebound bounced to Rógvi Poulse who’s shot looked to be going in, but was deflected wide of the post by team-mate Hendrik Rubeksen who was hit in the back. However, had the shot gone in, the referee would possibly have given offside as Rubeksen was maybe blocking the sight of the goalkeeper.

Andrew av Fløtum had a useful opportunity from a cross from the left, but the header went wide of the far post. Rógvi Poulsen later tested Jóan Pauli Jakobsen in the B36-goal with a fine shot from the distance from a tight angle, and Vagnur Mohr Mortensen got clear of his marker in the penalty area, but in the end the angle became too acute to score. Maybe a pass would have been a better choice…

After the hour mark, the match eventually evened out again and B36 threatened at the other end where Hjalgrím Elttør gave a warning when he curled an effort off target.

13 minutes from the end of normal time B36 took the lead when HB failed to clear in the penalty area. The ball ended in front of Elttør who let fly from the edge of the penalty area – and straight into the back of the net.

HB had no reply and B36 were closer to making it 2-0 when Christian Mouritsen was clear with goalkeeper Tórður Thomsen, but the opportunity was squandered however.

The loss for HB could prove fatal as NSÍ opened the gap at the top of the table to 7 points with only 10 matches remaining. And it takes at least 3 matches to cut a gap of 7 points. HB is running out of time…

B71 Sandoy – NSÍ Runavík 1-6 (3-0)
0-1 Christian Høgni Jacobsen
0-2 Christian Høgni Jacobsen (pen)
0-3 Heðin á Lakjuni
1-3 Bojan Zivic
1-4 Klæmint Olsen
1-5 Klæmint Olsen
1-6 Árni Frederiksberg

Vodafone Division Topscorer Christian Høgni Jacobsen made scored a brace – the second on penalty – before Heðin á Lakjuni made it 3-0 shortly before half time.

Allthough B71 pulled a goal back when Bojan Zivic headed home from a corner early in the second half, they were never going to catch NSÍ again, and instead it was NSÍ who scored three times; a brace from Klæmint Olsen before Árni Frederiksberg finished the 6-1 rout in the closing stages.

Having won 2-1 against HB on 28 July, B71 have gone on to concede 14 goals in their next two matches against EB/Streymur and NSÍ. However, the matches that matter will be the head to head matches with FC Suðuroy and AB Argir: 19 September AB-B71 and 26 September B71-FC Suðuroy.

NSÍ host EB/Streymur next Friday and should they get a point, they will keep the gap to the chasers on at least 5 points and with a superior goal difference, that is in effect 6 points. It's looking good for NSÍ...

FC Suðuroy - AB Argir 3-3 (1-2)
1-0 Jón krosslá Poulsen
1-1 Yohan Borðoy
1-2 Nicolaj L. Eriksen
2-2 Kasper Schultz
2-3 Nicolaj L. Eriksen
3-3 Henning Joensen

Although Suðuroy took the lead through Jón krosslá Poulsen after 12 minutes, they found themselves behind at half time as Yohan Borðoy equalized after 20 minutes and Nicolaj L. Eriksen put AB ahead 5 minutes from the break.

Suðuroy’s new Danish centre-back Kasper Schultz restored parity 20 minutes through the second half, but AB went in front again 10 minutes later when AB’s Dane Nicolaj Eriksen scored his second goal of the match. But the lead lasted for only 5 minutes as Henning Joensen equalized to rescue a point for Suðuroy.

One thing is sure: one of these two teams will be relegated at the end of the season. The question is if it will be both. At the moment they are equal on points and trailing B71 in the crucial 8th place by 5 points. As mentioned above, the head to head encounters will be a deciding factor.

ÍF Fuglafjørður – Víkingur 0-1 (0-1)
0-1 Sølvi Vatnhamar

Víkingur won their 3rd match in succession and are in contention for a place in Europe again. ÍF on the other hand seem to have lost the steam and are slipping down the table and could soon be leapfrogged by both ÍF and B36.

Víkingur were the better team for much of the first half and took the lead after 17 minutes by Sølvi Vatnhmar with his 4th goal in the last matches.

Although ÍF improved much in the second half, they couldn’t find their way past Víkingur goalkeeper Geza Turi.

August 16

B68 Toftir - EB/Streymur 1-1 (1-1)
0-1 Daniel Udsen (pen)
1-1 Ndende Adama Gueye

EB/Streymur took the lead in the closing stages of the first half with a penalty from Daniel Udsen.

But the lead was short-lived, as Senegalese forward Ahmed Keita set up his compatriot Ndende Adama Gueye to head home the equalizer just before halftime and repairing the damage as it was he who had committed the penalty moments earlier.

If EB/Streymur had any hopes of catching leaders NSÍ, those hopes are probably very slim now as the gap is now 9 points with 10 matches to go. EB/Streymur visit NSÍ on Friday.