retired_Joeysmama

The suspense - dont say you nearly make the WC?! :eek:

shannon2007

Faroe Islands v Czech Republic; San Marino v Faroe Islands
2010 World Cup Qualifying Matchdays 7 & 8
Saturday 29th September; Wednesday 2nd September

With what was shaping up to be the most amazing World Cup Qualifying group ever, hopes were high as the Czech Republic came to Torshavn looking for the win that would underline their own World Cup ambitions. There were more than a few nerves around the Faroes camp, things having gone so well so far that it seemed only a matter of time before it all came crashing down. There was a serious problem at right back for the Faroes with both Simun Joensen and Ronnie Danielsen unavailable for the Czech Republic match and that meant Morten Clausen would have line up in an unfamiliar position. Apart from that, the side was unchanged but there were call ups to the full squad for 17 year old midfielder Jan Poulsen and 16 year old striker Petur Hojgaard. Poulsen would find a place on the bench but Hojgaard was really just along for the ride.

The match against the Czech Republic started brightly enough, and it seemed that any fears that the confidence built up might have evaporated over the summer were ill founded. The Faroes were playing well and threatening their more illustrious opponents each time they came forward. With 20 minutes gone, Berg laid the ball into the path of Peter Damgaard who unleashed a great effort at goal but Cech managed to palm the ball away. Unfortunately for him, the ball only broke to the onrushing Christian Holst who blasted it into the back of the net and the Faroes were living in dreamland once more.

Of course it couldn't last, and so two minutes from half time the referee had had enough of this upstart team humiliating the side who should be obliterating them and awarded the Czechs a penalty which Milan Baros had no problems in converting. The second half was much of the same, both sides made chances but there was nothing concrete and when the referee relucantly ended the match the Faroes unbeaten run had been extended, and they now sat on 9 points from 7 games, with the Czech Republic on 10.

Belgium had erased to a 3-0 win over San Marino to lift themselves to eleven points and Slovenia had battled to a hard fought 2-1 triumph over Slovakia to also go onto eleven points, which the Slovaks shared. This group was becoming inseperable and it was anyone's guess as to who would make it through now.

The trip to San Marino was always going to be tougher for the Faroe Islands. For once, they would be favourites and they would be up against a side who would be sitting in defending and there would be a lot less room to move. On the other hand though, San Marino were utter pish, but there was still the possibility that this would be the irony of where the unbeaten run - and the stupid World Cup dreams - finally ended.

And indeed, it was tough going. The Faroes were so obviously the superior side as they dominated the match and had wave after wave of attack, which the San Marinese defence by hook or by crook snuffed out. The breakthrough though would surely come if the Faroese players just kept applying themselves and on 36 minutes it did in the simplest of terms as Damgaard slipped the ball to Berg and the San Marinese keeper had no chance with his effort. Two minutes later Berg struck again and the relief for the Faroes support was very real. San Marino battled on though, but without any real goal threat they were never going to claw this match out of the fire and on 65 minutes substitute Jan Poulsen showed his promise with a fine first goal for his country and the points were secured.

As Belgium won 2-1 in Slovakia and the Czech Republic slaughtered Slovenia 3-0, so the group of deatn remained almost inseperable. Belgium had soared to the top with 14 points, Czech Republic had 13, Faroes with 12, Slovenia & Slovakia with eleven each and the hapless San Marinese with their solitary point they had gained against Slovenia. With two matches left for each side, there were bound to be a few heartattacks before this battle was decided for sure. The Faroes final two matches were a trip to Slovakia then the Belgians at home. Two wins, and the World Cup was calling. It was far from impossible now, that much was very clear.....

BarryLFC

I dunno, it's not like they've actually beaten anyone other than San Marino yet, is it?

shannon2007

Slovakia v Faroe Islands; Faroe Islands v Belgium
2010 World Cup Qualifying Matchdays 9 & 10
Saturday 3rd & Wednesday 7th October 2009

Despite the doubters who gleefully pointed out that, despite the relative success the Faroes had enjoyed in this campaign they hadn't actually beaten anyone except San Marino, there was still a great deal of confidence as the team travelled to Slovakia for their penultimate match. There was a feeling that all that was required was just a little bit of a rub of the green, and a win would come their way. Of course, some might point out that without carrying a bit of luck so far those draws might have been losses, but that's just sour grapes and badness.

With the central defensive area being regarded as the weakest part of the side, Ingi decided to go with Morten Clausen and Morten Larsen in the middle. They perhaps weren't as out and out defenders as Pauli Nielsen, Uni Kjaerbo etc etc, but there were both decent enough tacklers and headers of the ball and the thing that went in their favour was that they were technically more gifted and better passers of the ball than those usually chosen for this role and so should in theory allow for a better build up from the back.

Theory doesn't always work in practice, but just five minutes into the match Christian Holst sent the Faroes into a stunning lead, and the road to qualification was still very much open. The Slovakian's hopes of reaching the 2010 Finals had taken a huge dent with successive 2-1 losses to Slovenia and Belgium and they seriously needed to win this match to have any chance of clinching a play off spot. It was probably inevitable when they equalized on 23 minutes, but any thoughts they had of going on to win this match were snuffed out, and in the end a 7th draw was recorded for the Faroes.

With the Czech Republic and Belgium both winning, the Faroes task of gaining a play off place was very hard to say the least and their chances of automatic qualifcation had gone. As it stood going into the final match with Belgium, the Belgians now led the group with 17 points, Czech Republic had 16 and the Faroes had 13. Goal difference could well come into play, and if the Faroes did manage to pull off that win against the Belgians, and Slovakia beat their neighbours then the Faroes would be guaranteed a play off spot. Then again if I could see the future I'd be guaranteed to win the lottery.

Just seven minutes into the crucial match with Belgium, everything went pearshaped as the visitors took the lead and were set for the automatic qualification spot. The Faroes hadn't come this far though just to give it all up on a whim, and as they battled on so they won a penalty on 34 minutes. Mortan Horg stepped up to take the most important spot kick of his career and cooly slotted the ball home to level the match. Come half time the scores were level, but getting news from Slovakia was proving difficult and rumours were that the match there was also level. The dream was still alive.

At half time the ineffectual Peter Damgaard was replaced by Johan V Gunnarsson and on the hour the tiring Anders Berg came off to be replaced by Arnold Poulsen. The switch seemed to have an almost immediate effect as Christian Holst, now playing in the central role, broke through the Belgian defence and blasted the Faroes into a sensational lead. The lead and the dream though were to last only 13 minutes before Emile Mpenza brought the Belgians level once more, and it looked as if that was that. Christian Holst though refused to give up, and with eight minutes left scored another sizzling goal to send the Faroes back into wonderland.

As the match moved into injury time, the Belgians roared forward and had the ball in the back of the net. As the Faroese crowd gasped in frustration, so the assistant referee raised a late flag and the goal was dissallowed. There was little time left to hang on, and eventually the match came to an end and the Faroe Islands had pulled off a stunning victory. There was no time yet to celebrate, as news was awaited from Slovakia. There had been a goal, but there was no confirmation for whom it had been and there was a nerve wracking few moments before the gallant Faroe Islanders would find out their World Cup destiny.......

retired_Joeysmama

Just tell us damnit!!!

retired_aurie

You smegging tease

You're really enjoying this aren't you :eek:

Excellent work though, hope that the Czechs don't receive any undue favours from their neighbours. :thup:

shannon2007

Faroes Under 19's

At the same time as the full Faroese side were pulling off their famous triumph over Belgium, and just narrowly failing to reach the Play Offs for the World Cup Finals thanks to Slovakia lying down to their Czech neighbours, the Under 19's began their campaign to reach the UEFA U-19 Finals again. Placed in a group with Ireland, Iceland and...... the Czech Republic.

Players such as Bogi Jakobsen, Mortan Andreason and Magni Danielsen had been over this course before, but there were a few new names as well such as Olavur Nonklett, Petur Johansen and John Joensen. Whether any of these players would go on to be a Berg or a Holst was anyones guess, but the chances were that they wouldn't be able to achieve that level of ability. Nevertheless the improvement in the Faroese fortunes over recent seasons had given hope that the U-19's could continue their decent run.

One minute into the opening match with Ireland that was all up in smoke as the Irish tool the lead, and on 36 minutes a second Irish goal came as they threatened to run riot, the newer Faroese players on the scene struggling to cope. Five minutes later though the Faroes finally managed to make a chance pay as new boy Kristian Olsen - a Kobenhavn youth and therefore someone you would expect might be a decent prospect - gave his side a lifeline and restored a bit of dignity.

On the hour though Olsen blotted his copybook by being red carded and two mimutes later Ireland had a penalty kick. Keith Murphy though blasted the ball over the bar, and the ten men Faroese seemed to take heart as eleven minutes from time Bogi Jakobsen levelled the match. As the Irish ran out of steam, the Faroes were ending the stronger side and with just seconds left Olavur Nonklett bagged the goal that gave the Faroes a fine win, and kept alive their chances of reaching the 2nd phase.

The Czech Republic had ended World Cup dreams, and they were about to put a severe dent in the U-19's dream too. This wasn't a great match at all, but a 49th minute strike was enough to give the Czechs the win and leave the Faroes needing to beat Iceland to progress. Another tight, dull match with little skill on show looked as if it was going to end goalless, a result which would actually have seen the Faroes progress. In injury time though, Kasper Larsen broke through the Faroes defence and Iceland had the win - and the 2nd place in the group that took them through.

Although the tournament had ended in failure, it hadn't been a total disaster and the young Faroese players had acquited themselves reasonably well, if not as well as the past couple of years. But then a tiny nation as this cannot expect constant success and it may well be a few more years - if ever - before the U-19's reach the heights scaled before.

BarryLFC

Heh, nae luck. Raging?

retired_airtexaco

I was just wondering is Todi Jonsson still in your national side or has he retired in your game

retired_manpk1

Such a shame to go through the campaign unbeaten and not get to the playoffs.

Best of luck with the Euros :thup: