Bend It Like A Faroese Corner

Hopperational details
Date & Venue: Wednesday 20 April 2011 at Við Løkin, Runavík
Result:  NSÍ 1 B68 0
Competition: Meistaradeildin (top tier of Faroese football)
Hopping: 8th venue of the trip, 9th match watched


Pre-match entertainment
Quick photo-opportunity visits to a couple of other grounds that I won’t be properly “hopping” to on this tour (to be featured in a future post), some scenic driving (albeit on a foul, wet and windy day), but most bizarrely, finding these items on sale in a service station in Gøta:

My knowledge of the language remains limited, but this is quite clearly a footy magazine featuring Gareth Bale being displayed next to a magazine of erotic writing aimed at women.  Someone will have to explain the connection to me, and probably to Harry Redknapp.  Here's a taldjur, or oystercatcher, to take your mind off this issue.  It's the national bird.

This match in one sentence
B68 failed to score in the first-half and therefore left themselves facing both NSÍ and the wind in the second.


So what?
This was the first game in the third round of matches so league table positions are meaningless until Thursday evening.  For the moment, NSÍ are fourth, and B68 stay eighth but still without a point this season.


The drama unfolds 
The strong wind was this time blowing from end to end, making it likely that this would be a game of two halves.  Both teams struggled with the conditions.  B68, in the red, had the wind behind them in the first half.  The NSÍ goalkeeper, András Gángó, frequently had to take goal-kicks with the ball beginning to roll back towards him.  On a couple of occasions, the linesman allowed him to place the ball a few inches forward of the six-yard line - by the time he had completed his run-up, the ball was in the correct place for the kick.  The trajectory was akin to that of a golf drive, with the ball holding up in the air before falling near-vertically, sometimes still in the defending half.  The first video clip sets the scene.





Nothing much happened in the first quarter.  I filmed B68’s first corner, which was not until the 28th minute.


On the half-hour mark, NSÍ’s Helgi Petersen had the best chance of the game, but his shot was wide.  Overall in the first period, the home team coped well enough with B68’s attempted attacks and they would have been happy with the score at the interval.  0-0 at half-time


NSÍ began to impose themselves in the second period.  B68’s keeper Tórður Thomsen saved well from Petersen, and then he dealt with a cross by Jónhard Fredricksen.  He had been played into space by the impressive midfielder Abdul Ismail, whose strength and distribution was a feature throughout.  At this precise moment of writing, I have just put him into the lead for man-of-the-match on the club website vote.  He was tied with the scorer (see below) until then.


B68 steadied the ship and the next chance did not come until the 60th minute, but Christian Jacobsen’s flicked header from a long throw drifted wide.  Two minutes later they hit the near post with a corner - all corners from that end were inswinging whether you wanted them to be or not.  The goal came on 68 minutes, a cool finish from Jacobsen.  1-0




B68 threw on substitutes including Ibrahima Camara, who had scored in both previous games.  He immediately caused problems with his pace and power.  One of two chances of an equaliser came with nine minutes to go.  Ndende Guéye burst from defence, played a one-two, and had a clear sight of goal, but his low left-foot shot went just wide.  The other chance was from a free-kick, but turned out to be more of a danger to passing seagulls as it went high into the sky.  The final clip is also from the second half.  Final score 1-0




Learn Faroese through football
Mikudagur  Wednesday
Venjari  Manager or Head Coach
Linjudómara  Linesmen
Aelingur  Showers (as in rainfall, not as in changing rooms)
Luftpútufar mitt er fult í álli  Nothing to do with football, but Monty Python fans will understand


What Next?
Tomorrow’s hop will be to Fuglafjørður, where ÍF are at home to table-topping KÍ in one of the four games taking place to complete the third round of fixtures.

Ladies and Gentlemen, the Winners are ... KÍ

Hopperational details
Date & Venue: Sunday 17 April at the Injector Arena, Klaksvík
Results and Competitions:
KÍ 3  B68 Toftir 1 (Premier League, top tier)
KÍ Kvinnur 9  HB Kvinnur 0 (Women’s 1.deild, top tier for women)
Hopping:  Two matches but only one venue.


Pre-match entertainment

Scenic drives around the northern islands, with a rainbow en route.

These matches in one sentence each
KÍ were helped on their way to the top of the table by a goalkeeping error for the game’s second goal.
KÍ Kvinnur demonstrated why they are the irresistible force in Faroese women’s football with a demolition of their opponents from Tórshavn.


So what?
Newly-promoted KÍ are one of three teams to have won both their games but they have a superior goal difference and therefore head the table.  B68 are one of three teams yet to win a point.  In today’s other games which completed the second round, EB/Streymur go third with a win at ÍF and B36 are second after their home win over B71.
KÍ Kvinnur have won all three of their games and head their table too.  They have won the league in every year beginning with 2 and looks like they will get their twelfth in a row this year.

The drama unfolds 
This match was played in near-ideal windless and fairly mild conditions!  B68’s defender Niclas Joensen was given an early yellow card for a mistimed tackle as Bárður Heinesen threatened.  KÍ’s keeper Gunnar á Steig was then called into action to make a save from a free-kick as both sides tried to take the initiative.  B68’s Hjalgrím Elltør unsuccessfully tried an outrageous curling free-kick from near the half-way line after 20 minutes.  The sparring continued - a quick B68 corner caught the home defence asleep and led to a headed chance for Ndende Guéye but KÍ immediately countered and only a late block prevented a shot on target at the other end.  Joensen was kept very busy.  The home supporters in a crowd of around 500 applauded every attempted through ball and were warm and encouraging to their team.  My scene-setting clip is taken from the first few minutes of the game.   KÍ are in blue.





Gradually KÍ began to create the better chances.  Bárður Heinesen span away from his marker in midfield and passed to Nenad Stankovic, who was unlucky as his dipping shot bounced up off the bar.  One of several crosses from the right by Henry Heinesen produced a chance for Elltør, but he snatched at the shot and sent it wide.


The deadlock was broken after 39 minutes.  B68 defender Oddur Hgaard and keeper Torður Thomsen failed to deal with a bouncing ball through the middle - I cannot say from where I was standing at the other end whether either or both were at fault - but Bárður Heinesen nipped in to score.  1-0


Both sides had one more chance before half-time.  Joensen headed over from a corner and Elltør brought a good save from Thomsen.  1-0 at half-time


Thomsen was called into action again a few seconds after the restart, but KÍ really should have gone two up.  However, a second goal did arrive after 54 minutes.  A disputed free-kick was given for handball (harsh, I thought).  Høgni Madsen shaped to cross but instead fired it in to the near post.  The photo shows that Thomsen had it covered but somehow he contrived to let it creep in.  2-0

After this, KÍ continued to make chances.  Henry Heinesen created a chance for Kristoffur Jacobsen, who shot over.  Elltør finally got the goal he had been threatening, with a low shot to the corner after 76 minutes.  Cue wild celebrations!  3-0  They nearly added a fourth when Jacobsen pulled the ball back for Jógvan Isaksen whose shot was saved by Thomsen at full stretch.

B68 did get a consolation goal after 81 minutes.  Joensen won the header from a corner and in the ensuing melée Ibrahima Camara got the goal.  However, KÍ saw out the final few minutes to hang on to the points.  Final score 3-1

Sadly, very few people stayed on to watch the top-tier women’s game, which followed on the same pitch.  The first clip is taken from the opening minutes with the score at 0-0.

KÍ Kvinnur dominated from start to finish.  Maria Thomsen has been credited with the first goal, though I thought Sofía Purkhús got the last touch.  It turns out to be important in deciding which of them has a hat-trick.  Thomsen, Purkhús, Sigrid Jacobsen and Rannvá  Andreasen caused all sorts of problems with their combination play up front, and how Jacobsen did not score today she will never know.  She had at least four good chances.  The attackers were supported by a dominant central midfield performance by captain Malena Josephsen, and assured central defensive displays by Paula Mikkelsen and Bára Klakstein.  HB struggled to clear their lines, even from goal kicks, so they were faced with wave after wave of KÍ Kvinnur attacks.


Here’s the chronological record.  I can't really say the drama unfolded, as in TV terms this was about as dramatic as the test card.


Purkhús just fails to get the last touch on Thomsen’s through ball but it goes in anyway.  1-0
Josephsen sets up Purkhús to score.  2-0
Thomsen passes from the left for Andreasen’s first.  3-0
Thomsen’s second, as caught on camera.  4-0





Andreasen’s second, an easy finish after a poor clearance.  5-0 at half-time
A curling shot from 20m by Andreasen to complete her hat-trick.  6-0
Andreasen lays the ball off to Purkhús who finishes.  7-0
Josephsen deservedly gets herself on the score sheet with a well-crafted approach and finish.  8-0
Thomsen completes her hat-trick within a minute 9-0


To be fair to HB, they made KÍ work harder in the second half, but they never closed down Josephsen.  Gunn Mohr Hentze was their most impressive player, with some neat touches going forward, but there was an enormous difference in class and confidence between the two teams.  Home keeper Randi Wardum had very little to do - the first two shots from HB were not until the second half and then they were off-target.  If I have not mentioned the entire KÍ team it is only because the others must have had relatively little to do - they had no weak links in the side.


What I learned today
I encountered single track tunnels today for the first time in my driving experience.  If the passing places, every 100m or so, are on the right, then you have to pull in and wait for oncoming traffic to pass.  This is an example of something that is best NOT left to chance, I guess!

Something random
Sadly, I will miss this but let's hope it tours to London.

Learn Faroese through football
Litið lot  Gentle breeze
Álop  Attack


What Next?
NSÍ play B68 on Wednesday, but I am in search of a youth game on Monday afternoon too. 

Feast Your Eyes on Eysturoy

It's all in the preparation ...

Hopperational details
Date & Venue:  Monday 11 April 2011 at Svangaskarð, Toftir
Result:  B68 Toftir 3 ÍF 4
Competition:  Meistaradeildin


Hopping:
Third game of the tour.  Although I was able to walk into and photograph the adjacent national stadium, that one will not be added to the operational listing under my rules of engagement.  I have to see a competitive game there, not just visit.  I should also say that, unlike many other spectators, at no time did I watch from the car.  That’s just wrong.


Pre-match entertainment
I visited some villages in northern Eysturoy and found another ground that I now hope to go back to later in the trip for a youth game.  The day brought sunshine, hail, wind and rain in various amounts but I was able to walk for 2hrs before a very scenic drive to Toftir and a pre-match pastry.

The coastline near Eiði in northern Eysturoy

The descent to Funningar and its famous church (below)

 

This match in one sentence
The visitors will be delighted with three points from an entertaining game in very difficult early-season conditions, in which at least three of the goals were wind-assisted.


So what?
ÍF are 3rd and B68 are 6th in the fairly meaningless table after one round of games.


The drama unfolds 
It turned out that this was the most wind-affected fixture of those seen so far, and even some of the locals agreed that conditions were difficult.  It would have been worse - the first face-shredding hailstorm hit the ground just before kickoff, and the second fitted neatly into the half-time interval.  Sheltering in the car from ice pellets moving at the speed of meteorites IS allowed if play is not in progress.


B68 took the lead in the 9th minute with a well-taken goal from Ibrahima Camara, as captured in the first clip below.  1-0







The second clip is a scene-setter taken before the wind equalised after 30 minutes.  This has been recorded for posterity as an own goal by the home keeper, Tórður Thomsen.  A corner from the left wing swerved perfectly and ended up in the far corner of the net.  1-1

This corner-kick got to this point in the space-time continuum...

... and two frames of autoshooting later was in the back of the net!

Ndendi Guéye should have put B68 in front shortly afterwards but fizzed a low shot narrowly wide.  Then this deflected free-kick from Christian Muornaife gave the lead to the visitors after 43 minutes. 1-2





However, just before the half-time whistle and the arrival of a weather front fresh in from the North Atlantic, Christian Andreasen’s free-kick for B68, meant as a cross, albeit a curling one, looped across the box and broke all rules of conventional physics by ending up in the net.  His goal celebration was an embarrassed shrug, I kid you not.  To be fair, he had a good game and was unlucky to be on a losing side in the end.  2-2 at half-time


The weather was gradually worsening.  The referee had to take a lenient view over free-kicks - if he had insisted on a stationary ball then we’d still be there now playing stoppage time.  For some set-pieces, a team-mate was deployed as a ball-holder, removing his hand at the last moment as the boot came in.


After 52 minutes, ÍF took the lead from the penalty spot.  I am not sure why, to be honest.  I thought the linesman on the far side had flagged for offside, and I am guessing at a handball.  Muornaife stepped up for his second goal of the game.  2-3


Five minutes later, the visitors went further ahead.  Chaos ensued from a set-piece.  Danjál á Lakjuni’s first attempt was blocked but he smashed home a shot from a few metres out when it fell back to him.  2-4  Then this happened ...





So, another wind-assisted corner helped B68 pull one back.  I had stationed myself near there with my goal-line technology in anticipation of such an event.  It has been given as another own-goal in the record books, unluckily for ÍF captain Bartal Eliasen, who otherwise had a splendid game at the back.  3-4


B68 started to use the wind as a twelfth man as they battled to equalise, but ÍF held firm and join the four other teams with three points from their opening game.  Final score 3-4


What I learned today
Statues of a mother and a child looking out to sea have a poignant meaning in these parts.  I came across more than one example in gardens of remembrance that commemorated the loss of life - always male - at sea.  The first pic is from Eiði and the others are from Nes, near Toftir.

Learn Faroese through football
Mánudagur  Sunday
Stoður  Standing (i.e. league table) 
Brottspark  Penalty-kick
Mál  Goal
Sjálvmál  Own-goal
Málmaður  Goalkeeper
Hvassur vindur  Near gale (force 7)


What Next?
My route through top-tier games is now provisionally set as follows, although I hope to see at least one lower league, women’s or youth game if time and travel allows.  Tuesday looks like being a football-free day but I hope to find something somewhere on Wednesday.  I will be keeping up the pastry count whatever happens.  That's dedication.

• Viking v NSI on Friday 15th
• HB v 07 Vestur on Saturday 16th
• KI v B68 on Sunday 17th
• NSI v B68 on Wednesday 20th
• IF v KI on Thursday 21st

I conclude this post with my contribution to the library of European floodlights.  The electric ones aren't spectacular until nature gives a hand.  Thanks again for your interest!