September 22 & 23, 2010: Round 23 of the Vodafone Division:
September 22
EB/Streymur - FC Suðuroy 5-2 (2-1) 0-1 Jón krosslá Poulsen 1-1 Daniel Udsen 2-1 Daniel Udsen 3-1 Owngoal 4-1 Hans Pauli Samuelsen 5-1 Arnbjørn Hansen (pen)
Although the relegation-threatened Suðuroy took the lead through Jón Krosslá Poulsen in the 12th minute, the well-oiled EB/Streymur machine quickly got the match under control and took the lead with a brace from midfielder Daniel Udsen in the space of 12 minutes midway through the first half.
It became 3-1 with a Suðuroy owngoal just a minute after Udsen's second goal around the half-hour mark, and in the last five minutes before halftime, Hans Pauli Samuelsen and Arnbjørn Hansen (on penalty) had made it 5-1.
Whether EB/Streymur tried to preserve some energy for the important match against HB in the next round (on Tuesday) is open for interpretation, but they scored no goals in the second half. EB/Streymur have now scored 18 goals in their last four matches.
Jón Krosslá Poulsen scored his second goal of the match for Suðuroy directly on a free kick a quarter of an hour into the second half to make the final score 5-2 for EB/Streymur. This was Krosslá Poulsen’s 10 goal of the season which makes him third in the top scorer list. That’s impressive for a bottom team. Krosslá Poulsen is the most scoring player in the history of FC Suðuroy (which includes former VB Vágur).
On Sunday Suðuroy visit B71 Sandoy in a crucial match that could well decide the fate of Suðuroy. If Suðuroy lose, they will have to get 7 points from their last 3 matches. Although that is a mighty difficult task, it's not impossible as one of the matches is at home against B68 who don´t like to travel. The last match is an away-match against bottom team AB. But Suðuroy would also have to get a draw at home against Víkingur in the penultimate round.
Highlights, EB/Streymur vs. FC Suðuroy
B71 Sandoy - B36 Tórshavn 0-0
B71 did themselves a huge favour by getting a point against B36 as it means that if they get a draw in the massive match against FC Suðuroy on Sunday, Suðuroy will have to win at least one and draw one of their remaining 3 matches after that to leapfrog B71 in the crucial 8th position. That providing B71 don’t get more points. And that might actually become difficult as they face ÍF Fuglafjørður, EB/Streymur and NSÍ Runavík in their last 3 matches of the season.
B68 Toftir - ÍF Fuglafjørður 3-3 (2-1) 1-0 Pól Jóhannus Justinussen (pen) 2-0 Ahmed Keita 2-1 Bartal Eliasen 2-2 Dánjal á Lakjuni 3-2 Pól Jóhannus Justinussen 3-3 Andy Olsen
With just one home-defeat for B68 this season and with ÍF as the best away team, a draw seems like a quite logical result, although a 3-3 score was maybe more difficult to predict.
B68 took the lead midway through the first half with a penalty from Pól Jóhannus Justinussen before Ahmed Keita increased to 2-0 on the half-hour. But the two-goal cushion was short-lived however, as central defender Bartal Eliasen pulled a goal back within two minutes.
Dánjal á Lakjuni equalize immediately after the start of the second half - a fine present to give himself on his 20th birthday!
However, Justinussen spoiled the birthday-party within 10 minutes as he scored his second of the day to regain the lead for B68.
But with about a quarter of an hour remaining, Andy Olsen levelled the match after a fine solo run.
This was ÍF's third draw in a row which could prove costly regarding their European dream where they are level on points with Víkingur in the 4th place which gives European access. ÍF visit Víkingur on the last day of the season.
HB looked lively in the opening minutes and were eager to get an early goal so they could more or less settle the match before AB would build up too much hope of producing an upset.
And the early goad did come as HB had planned when Símun Samuelsen in the 9th minute got to the by-line as he wrong-footed a couple of AB-defenders before he made the cross to midfielder Fróði Benjaminsen who fired the ball into the back of the net from close range.
But after the goal, HB’s play deteriorated quickly although they kept most of the possession during the first 45 minutes. And with that possession, the chances were always going to come, but HB managed to squander at least three sitters.
Although Símun Samuelsen could not miss as he had the whole goal at his mercy just a few centimetres from the goal-line, he still managed to waste the opportunity. In one incident Fróði Benjaminsen should have passed the ball to a clear Hendrik Rubbeksen, but was instead intercepted by the goalkeeper; and in another attack, a clear Fróði Benjaminsen ought to have scored instead of hammering the ball well over the crossbar from close range.
At the other end AB created close to nothing during the first half.
Although AB improved slightly in the first 15 minutes of the second half, it was still HB with most of the possession although they found it difficult to create clear-cut scoring opportunities. AB on the other hand were rare guests in HB’s penalty area and their only attempts during the second half were a low drive from the distance which goalkeeper Marcin David saw late and dived to parry for a corner, and a close header from Ivorian defender Tehe Aristide.
70 minutes through the match HB finally managed to double their lead when Símun Samuelsen attacked with speed slightly to the left before he played the ball across to a clear Rógvi Poulsen for an easy finish.
Poulsen, who switched to the left hand side when Samuelsen was substituted with 18 minutes to go, scored his second goal of the match towards the end when Páll Mohr Joensen was played clear on the right hand side before he played the ball across to Poulsen for another easy finish to make it 3-0 for HB.
It wasn’t particularly pretty today, but HB will celebrate their top spot in the table. However, the real test is on Monday when HB visit EB/Streymur where HB will have to improve if they intend to avoid defeat.
NSÍ Runavík - Víkingur 0-1 (0-0) 0-1 Owngoal
With only 4 points from their last 5 games before today’s encounter with Víkingur, NSÍ’s lead in the table has slowly been shrinking, and with their defeat today, NSÍ have dropped to second place.
The scoring opportunities in the first half were few and far between. The second half was a slightly more open affair, where Víkingur took the lead midway through the half when NSÍ’s Erland B. Danielsen was unlucky to turn a cross past his own goalkeeper.
NSÍ rallied towards the end, but Víkingur held firm.
Both teams were without important players today. – For NSÍ, important midfielder Jann Ingi Petersen was missing through suspension while Víkingur missed influential Serbian midfielder Nenad Stankovic, who will be out for the rest of the season as he got injured against HB on Sunday.