retired_roxysunny101

When you live in London you walk around with a blanket of anonymity over your head, no-one recognises - and even if they did, they wouldn’t stop and say hello. That is why the reaction to our result against Fylkir was so foreign to me: People where shaking my hand on the short walk from my cottage to the local grocers; the shopping was free at the grocers; cars honked in approval as I walked back to my cottage from the grocers. It was by far the oddest trip to the grocers I’ve had.

Nevertheless, that morning had got me thoroughly fired up for the rest of this League Cup campaign, not only because I liked the idea of free groceries, but because I saw that there was a love for this game - this club - in the town and I wanted to progress with Breiðablik…hopefully to the Quarter finals of the League Cup

It was the first of March so it was time for the monthly meeting with Mr Eyjólfsson. As I walked through training Svienn handed me the evaluation sheets for this month: Two of the new guys - Rúnarsson and Ingólfsson - were impressing in training. They were probably just trying to impress at a new club, but it put me in a good mood nonetheless as I heading back inside to meet the Chairman.

�Derek!�, Mr Eyjólfsson jovially greeted me with as I entered his office. �It’s great to see you, how are you settling in in our humble little town? Missing the bright lights?�

�I’m getting used to it�, I replied politely, �I’m starting to really enjoy the job here though, sir. Thanks for the opportunity�, I said, without a hint of irony, despite knowing fine well the reason I had this job was sitting, counting money in front of a log fire in London!

“Well, we’re enjoying having you here. I watched Sunday’s game from the box, it was fantastic. We’ve not seen a battling performance like that for a while round here - you’ve given the local real hope in this year’s cup“

“Well, it’s early days yet“, I laughed, tempering the old man’s excitement.

�Oh absolutely, anyway, I wont keep you long, I wouldn’t want to keep you from the players considering the fine job you and Svienn are doing. I just wanted you to know we recorded a slight loss of £4,000 this month, which isn’t too much to worry about, however it means you will have to be thrifty if you want any more new faces - and I wouldn’t mid seeing some of the players you do not need moving on…..actually on that note….“

The pauses made me nervous.

�We just got a £5,000 offer for Guðmundur Örn Guðmundsson faxed through from Keflavik, it seems a decent offer, but I’m willing to leave the final decision to you Derek.�

I was pleasantly surprised by Mr Eyjólfsson’s attitude, but I wasn’t planning on doing him any favour.

�I’m afraid not, Mr Chairman. You tell them they are a Premier League side, and if the really want him they can pay £20,000, not a penny less�, I actually impressed myself with the authority in my voice.

My Chairman smiled at me, �No problem Derek, I’ll let them know. Now, on you go, you’ve got a team to run. And good luck against Valur�

With that I took my leave and closed Mr Eyjólfsson’s office door behind me, before letting my mind drift forward to this weekend.

retired_roxysunny101

Valur Vs Breiðablik League Cup Grp B, 11th Mar 2005, Hliðarendi Stadium

<pre class="ip-ubbcode-code-pre">| Pos | Inf | Team | | Pld | Won | Drn | Lst | For | Ag | G.D. | Pts || ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|| 5th | | Breiðablik | | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 6 | -4 | 3 || ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|| 6th | | Valur | | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | -2 | 1 || ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|</pre>

Breiðablik: (4-4-2 Diamond) GK: Hafliðason, DL: Sveinsson, DR: Birgisson, DC: Hansen, DC: Podzemsky; MR: Guðmundsson, ML: Rúnarsson (S.Pétursson 13’), DMC: Sverrisson (c), AMC: Borgþórsson; ST: Baldvinsson, ST: B.Pétursson

It seems that one of my sides skills is flying out of the blocks early in games. Last week against Fylkir, and this week, away to Valur we have looked very dangerous in the opening exchanges. In fact we should have been 1-0 up after just 3 minutes when Borgþórsson slid a lovely ball through to Bjarki Pétursson who scuffed his shot when he was clean through and should have scored.

However a turning point came after Rúnarsson was taken off after a quite innocuous challenge. Saevar Pétursson was brought on as a direct replcement, and the team lost some of it’s verve - allowing Valur to dictate the play.

Even as a novice in management I know the problem with letting Premier Division teams dictate the play is that they are very likely to turn their dominance into goals, and after 22 minutes Valur did exactly that, with Hálfdán Gislason latching on to a bouncing ball in our area to fire past a despairing Hjörvar Hafliðason.

We were struggling to string passes together now, let alone create chances, and to compound things we went in at half-time 2-0 down. A simple corner found its way to Guðmundur Benediktsson, unmarked, at the back post to nod Valur into a very comfortable two-goal lead at the break.

A much better performance was needed in the second half, apart from the first 10 minutes we had shown very little in this match, and we had to go out and play our own game.

To be honest, as the second half kicked off I was just looking for a better performance - I didn’t really believe we could get anything out of the game. However 5 minutes before the hour mark, when Marel Baldvinsson was bundled down in the box, I started to believe. Big left back Þorsteinn Sveinlaugur Sveinsson stepped up and coolly slotted the ball home to give us a chance.

From that point onwards we were a different team, we were playing snappy, confident football and creating good chances. Unfortunately those chances were falling to a Bjarki Pétursson having a real off-day when we really needed him at his clinical best, missing three gilt-edged opportunities to get us a point out of the game.

Our luck was summed up when Valur goalkeeper, Kjartan Slurtluson, made an absolutely stunning point blank save from Marel Baldvinsson in injury time to secure the win for his side. I guess it wasn’t to be our day, but the second half performance was a joy to behold and it gives me great hope for the future - I just worry what the defeat has done for our qualification hopes.

Man of the Match : Þorsteinn Sveinlaugur Sveinsson (Breiðablik) (8)

Valur (Gislason 22’, Benediktsson 44’) 2 - 1 Breiðablik (Sveinsson pen 55‘)

retired_roxysunny101

Arthur Bjark-ing Up the Wrong Tree With Pétursson

By Ingvir Thordarinsson

The winds of change in Icelandic football this season becomes something of a hurricane as you approach the Kópavogsvöllur Stadium this season. Big changes have hit the small-town club Breiðablik, and there is real hope in the town that young Brit Derek Arthur could be the man to make real progression with the club.

There is certainly cause for this wave optimism. Arthur and his new Assistant manager, Svienn Ari Gudjónsson have got the side playing some good, attack minded football in the few weeks they have been in charge of the club, and despite mixed results there are definite signs of progress. They have also managed to cobble together a few fairly good signings like Hafsteinn Ingvar Rúnarsson and Gunnar Rafn Borgþórsson on a very limited budget.

However, as the afore mentioned Hurricane Arthur sweeps through the club, there have to be questions asked as to whether veteran striker Bjarki Pétursson is deserving of his place on the liferaft carrying the still-wanted players to footballing redemption.

In the previous Breiðablik matches, other than the FH debacle, there can have been no complaints from Arthur as to the standard of performance he was receiving from his First Division outfit. In the matches where Breiðablik were defeated he was being let down by a combination of being unlucky, and dreadful performances from the 33 year old statue.

The lack of movement from Pétursson at times is flabbergasting, and when chances do present themselves to him - on a plate may I add, because that is the only way he’ll get on the end of a chance - he has been incredibly wasteful, especially for a man brought to the club in the summer for his goal scoring record and calm head.

This point was made crystal clear in an abysmal performance at the weekend, as Breiðablik travelled to Valur. They more than matched their Premier Division opponents, but were internally sabotaged by a man who was not only struggling to hit the barn door, but missing the barn altogether. Three gilt-edged chances presented themselves for Pétursson and he discarded them wastefully, and didn’t even have the decency to look angry with himself.

It is understandable that Pétursson is a big name, and one of the more famous players in a modest squad, but regular performers like Marel Baldvinsson, Gunnar Rafn Borgþórsson, Petr Podzemsky and Hafsteinn Ingvar Rúnarsson must shake their heads in disbelief when they see the performances of this lumbering, cumbersome passenger they are supposedly relying on for success this season. Question have to be asked of Pétursson’s hunger, age, fitness and quality after recent games - and I frankly don’t think he has answers to those questions to justify his continued inclusion.

It is refreshing to see waves being made by a young manager at a small, ambitious club. However, this young ambition had to be matched on the pitch, and while teams like Breiðablik continue to blindly pick overpaid, over-the-hill journeymen they will never progress. Hell, while we live in the past Icelandic football wont progress. Your goals with Fylkir and IA mean nothing Bjarki, the days when you were touted for an International call-up mean nothing Bjarki. Do the decent thing and pass on the torch for a younger, hungrier player.

retired_roxysunny101

Breiðablik Vs KA League Cup Grp B, 20th Mar 2005, Kópavogsvöllur Stadium

<pre class="ip-ubbcode-code-pre">| Pos | Inf | Team | | Pld | Won | Drn | Lst | For | Ag | G.D. | Pts || ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|| 5th | | KA | | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 4 | -2 | 4 || ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|| 7th | | Breiðablik | | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 8 | -5 | 3 || ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|</pre>

Breiðablik: (4-4-2 Diamond) GK: Hafliðason, DL: Sveinsson, DR: Birgisson, DC: Hansen, DC: Podzemsky; MR: Guðmundsson, ML: Rúnarsson, DMC: Sverrisson (c), AMC: Borgþórsson; ST: Baldvinsson, ST: B.Pétursson


Despite the criticism of Big Bjarki in the media during the week it didn’t cross my mind to drop him, he is the focal point of our attack, and a couple of high profile misses in one game doesn’t change all the good work he does for the team. So an unchanged line-up went out to play in this must win game against our Second Division brethren with the mandate to shove the critics words back down their throats!

The critics must have been choking on their words quite sharpish - after 3 minutes in fact, as Bjarki Pétursson cushioned down a long diagonal from Rúnarsson with his head, perfectly for Borgþórsson to burst into the box and fire past the KA goalkeeper.

From that point onwards we were majestic. When the clock hit 10 minutes we were already 3-up. The second goal came from Borgþórsson again, firing past the desperate dive of Sándor Matus from the edge of the area; before the goal the crowd were begging for: Bjarki Pétursson breaking the offside trap before simply sliding the ball past the dazed Hungarian stopper for his first competitive goal of the season, putting the game to bed by 10 past 3.

Credit to my players, they didn’t take their foot off the gas, they were playing like men possessed - and with the game safe it became the Marel Baldvinsson show. I’ll be the first to admit I wasn’t sure how to use such a prodigious talent in a side like this, but he was revelling in his 2nd striker role today, due to the added freedom I decided to hand him today. He was linking well with Pétursson, drifting out to the left and causing all sorts of problems for defenders, as well as playing a huge part in creating space for Borgþórsson. He also got his name on the score sheet twice before half time. The first after drifting in to nod home a back post header from a Rúnarsson cross. Then, just before half time, he slotted home a delightful, skillfully turning one player at the top corner of the box before opening his body and curling the ball past Matus.

I gushed at my players at half time to be honest, I was so delighted with the performance, it was a really immense reaction after Valur, and it showed the capabilities of my side when they hit their peak.

It was little surprise, however, that second half was a low key affair with few chances, considering the damage had been done in the first half, and we were now back in the hunt for that top 4 place.

Man of the Match: Marel Baldvinsson (Breiðablik) (9)

Breiðablik (Borgþórsson 3’, 6’, B.Pétursson 9’, Baldvinsson 22’ 44’) 5 - 0 KA

retired_roxysunny101

The camp was buzzing after the demolition of supposed joint favourites for promotion KA, and with over two weeks until our next match I felt it was appropriate to do some team bonding with the squad. The International week provided that opportunity.

When you live in the insulated World that is Great Britain you often think that the European Championship and World Cup qualifiers simply revolve around your nation and the other big teams. However, your smaller nations: your Finland’s, your Lithuania’s, your Iceland’s all have exactly the same passion when it comes to their nations football. It is just that they gather round their television sets more in hope than expectation.

So, as the Icelandic national team travelled to Zagreb to face Croatia, me and my squad travelled to the local Kópavogur Public house to enjoy the festivities and have some well earned respite.

There was a fantastic moment as we entered the pub, as some of the locals spotted the team ripples of applause broke out, until the team got something of a standing ovation. I hoped that scene would inspire the players in the coming weeks; the scene of coming face to face with who they were playing for.

Once the commotion had settled down we all relaxed with our soft drinks and sat watching the game. With 10 points separating the sides after only 4 games in Group 8 of the World Cup Qualifying Iceland were huge underdogs, and widely expected to remain anchored to the foot of the table with 1 point after the 90 minutes in Zagreb.

And, as much as I would love to narrate a fairytale, the shock was never on. After just 13 minutes Dado Prso broke onto a Niko Kovac through ball before rounding the keeper to put the Croats 1-up. Chelsea star, and darling of Icelandic football Eidur Gudjonson flashed a chance just wide before, after half an hour, Bosko Balaban linked with Prso up front to forge an opportunity, which the former Aston Villa man grasped, sliding the ball home from 10 yards, to make it 2-0

I was amazed at the joviality in the pub at half time. I presumed these fans must have seen it all before - both with Iceland and Breiðablik, and they continued to sing and joke unabated by their hosts dominance. There was even talk of how much better this performance was than the previous game (a 1-1 draw with Leichtenstein in Reykjavic).

The second half was more of an even affair, although that was probably due to Croatia playing the game in 2nd gear. Nevertheless the hosts did manage to grab another goal, with Bosko Balaban converting a penalty after he himself had been felled by Charlton man Herman Hreidarsson.

Despite the result, the experience had been a good one, it was a great atmosphere in the little pub - and we had been made to feel like superstars, which is always nice. However, now we had to get back to work, because I wanted us to keep playing like superstars aswell. As we left the locals patted the players on the back and wished us luck. I hoped I wouldn’t let them down.

retired_roxysunny101

Keflavik Vs Breiðablik League Cup Grp B, 7th Apr 2005, Keflavikurvöllur Stadium

<pre class="ip-ubbcode-code-pre">| Pos | Inf | Team | | Pld | Won | Drn | Lst | For | Ag | G.D. | Pts || ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|| 3rd | | KeflavÃ*k | | 4 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 2 | +4 | 9 || ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|| 4th | | Breiðablik | | 4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 8 | 8 | 0 | 6 || ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|</pre>

Breiðablik: (4-4-2 Diamond) GK: Hafliðason, DL: Sveinsson, DR: Birgisson, DC: Hansen, DC: Podzemsky; MR: Guðmundsson (Bjarnason 68‘), ML: Rúnarsson, DMC: Sverrisson (c), AMC: Borgþórsson; ST: Baldvinsson, ST: B.Pétursson (Ingólfsson 45’)

For the third game on the bounce I fielded an unchanged side, such continuity at this early stage of the season was very pleasing, especially if we could match the level of performance in the first half against KA.

We would need all the togetherness that team continuity brings if we were to get anything away from home to a very good Premier League Keflavik side. Of course, we already boasted a victory over Keflavik, but that was in a home friendly in pre-season, and this would be a very different contest altogether. As if to illustrate my point, it took the hosts just 4 minutes to break the deadlock. My centre back pairing were caught hopelessly cold and square with a long ball over the top, and Horðar Sveinnson raced through to dispatch the ball comfortably past Hafliðason to ruin our best laid plans.

With that, as you would expect, Keflavik took the initiative in the contest. However, we competed well, and showed no signs of rolling over to our top tier opponents, and as the half progressed Keflavik began to grow in frustration as the game became scrappy.

On the half hour mark, with the frustration growing, Keflavik committed just too many people forward for a corner, and were punished on the counter attack. The corner was cleared powerfully by Podzemsky, finding Baldvinsson free on the left channel, and in a race from the half way line he hopelessly burned the only defender back, before cutting inside from the left and audaciously chipping the onrushing goalkeeper from 30 yards - true genius from our star man.

The half time break was a pleasure to oversee. My players were coming it at 1-1 at a good Premier League side, and they could not wait to get back out there. There was disappointment, however, for Bjarki Pétursson, as I decided to go for Ingólfsson with Baldvinsson up front in the second half as I looked for us to pinch that famous winner.

The second half continued to be a tense, scrappy affair, with both sides knowing that a win would go a long way to seeing them progress to the Quarters. Chances came and went for both sides, with Horðar Sveinnson coming very close to claiming his brace, flashing a shot just wide from inside the ‘D’. Nevertheless, the game was still very much n the balance.

Our hopes of winning the game took a knock when Guðmundur Örn Guðmundsson was stretchered off after 68 minutes, to be replaced by Bjarnason, coming on to play in a very unfamiliar right-wing position. And it was a double blow 10 minutes later as Keflavik managed to score a farcical - yet vital - second goal. With the ball once again scrappily bouncing around in midfield, Hakón Sverrisson knocked it back to Hafliðason, only for our young number one to fluff his kick - straight to Keflavik Number 10, Guðmundur Steinarsson, who couldn’t quite believe his luck, as he hesitated slightly before clinically thrashing the ball past my unfortunate keeper.

I couldn’t quite believe what had just happened. After all the efforts we put into this game, to concede a goal like that was truly sickening. We tried our damndest to get a second equaliser, but I guess it just wasn’t to be and we succumbed to a defeat which was very tough to take - but I had seen enough from this squad to know we would take it. And bounce back.

Man of the Match: Horðar Sveinnson (Keflavik SC) (8)

Keflavik (Sveinsson 4’, Steinarsson 78’) 2 - 1 Breiðablik (Baldvinsson 30‘)

retired_roxysunny101

My players are an incredibly resilient bunch. Just like when Bjarki was unfairly, and prematurely slated in the press, the players all rallied around a gutted Hafliðason after our loss with Keflavik. The way we lost that game after such a fantastic performance was a real kick in the teeth, but we now knew that on our day we could mix it with the big boys in Iceland, and that would stand us in good stead as we entered the final, crucial phase of the League Cup Group Stage.

The bottom line was that we now had to beat Völsungur at the Kópavogsvöllur Stadium in our next match to have any chance of progressing. From what I had seen in the previous couple of games in knew my players were more than capable of getting the win, although they would have to do it without right winger Guðmundur Örn Guðmundsson who will miss this one match, but be back for the last game of the group with Fram, after being stretchered off against Keflavik - I’ll just have to hope whatever Einarsson I choose translates his potential into performance.

I was very proud of the way my squad had played in the last few games, and also with the way they have kept their heads up after the Keflavik injustice, now we just needed another performance we could be proud of to give us a shot at glory going into the last round of matches.

retired_roxysunny101

Breiðablik Vs Völsungur League Cup Grp B, 15th Apr 2005, Kópavogsvöllur Stadium

<pre class="ip-ubbcode-code-pre">| Pos | Inf | Team | | Pld | Won | Drn | Lst | For | Ag | G.D. | Pts || ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|| 4th | | Breiðablik | | 5 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 9 | 10 | -1 | 6 || ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|| 5th | | Völsungur | | 5 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 7 | 9 | -2 | 6 || ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|</pre>

Breiðablik: (4-4-2 Diamond) GK: Hafliðason, DL: Sveinsson, DR: Birgisson, DC: Hansen, DC: Podzemsky; MR: A.Einarsson, ML: Rúnarsson, DMC: Sverrisson (c), AMC: Borgþórsson; ST: Baldvinsson, ST: B.Pétursson

As the players left the home dressing room, for the first time since being given this job, I was nervous. I had been excited before every other game, but I was actually nervous today, and that was because I could see the opportunity that lay ahead for us - if we could just bag three points today. With us sitting on equal points with our First Division counterparts we had to win this one.

Naturally the opening stage was a nervous affair, with one bright spark coming from young Einarsson, with the 19 year old showing no fear to run with the ball from the right side, into the middle of the park before firing a shot over the bar. It was never troubling the goalkeeper, but it was a good sign from my young winger.

As the half grew older, it was apparent that Völsungur were happy to sit back and allow us to dictate the play - hoping to snatch a goal on the counter attack. The worrying thing was how well it was working, we went in at half time with just one shot on target to our names, and with Völsungur boasting the best chance: when Andri Valur Ivarsson found himself through on goal after a swift break, only to fire over.

The bottom line was I had my best XI out there, and at half time I simply gave Marel Baldvinsson a bit more creative freedom, and told the guys that we really needed a goal.

The response was immense. The second half began at a blistering pace, with the players clearly realising that their biggest fear should be exiting the League Cup with a whimper. After Bjarki Pétursson came close on two occasions, we finally blew away Völsungur’s defensive guard through Marel Baldvinsson. Our mercurial Icelandic International picked up the ball on the edge of the area, before playing a lovely one-two with Borgþórsson to take him through on goal - where he slid the ball past Völsungur’s keeper.

The celebrations were more of relief than anything else, and now Völsungur would have to come out and try and play some attacking football. However, they looked as if the thought hadn’t crossed their minds in preparation for this game, and we now had a chance to put the game to bed against dithering opponents.

10 minutes after breaking the deadlock Balvinsson made the game safe, rising highest to nod the ball past Asmunder Gislason from an Einarsson cross. Before he added gloss to the finish 3 minutes later - and in the process made sure his would be the name on everyone’s lips - by springing the Völsungur offside trap and thrashing home his hat-trick at the near post.

It had been a stunning second half display, and I decided to rest Bjarki Pétursson, Hakon Sverrison, and Hafsteinn Ingvar Rúnnarson by substituting them with 15 minutes left as the game petered out in view of our final game of the group phase with Fram.

Man of the Match: Marel Baldvinsson (Breiðablik) (10)

Breiðablik (Baldvinsson 57’, 68’, 71’) 3 - 0 Völsungur

retired_roxysunny101

After the Bjarki Pétursson article in the press a couple of weeks ago had given me a taste of what it’s like to be on the receiving end of literary scorn, I had developed quite a distaste for my ex-brethren in the media. However the phone call I received in the wake of the great win against Völsungur was a pleasant surprise.

It seems the same rag that printed the drivel about Bjarki now want to do a glowing piece about the form of Marel Baldvinsson, and they were calling to get a couple of direct quotes from me. Naturally I was glowing in my praise for our magical second striker. He had really found his niche in the side in recent games, and boasting 6 goals in his last 3 games, his floating play, moments of genius and deadly finishing of late would be a huge factor if we are to make it through against Fram at the weekend. I looked forward to reading a more positive piece in the paper next issue!

One player who wouldn’t be playing a part in our biggest game of the season thus far is Arni Kristinn Gunnarsson who has left for IBV, initially on loan. The move to the Premier Division will give Arni a great chance to show his talent, and it will get his £80 per week wage off my wage bill. IBV can make the move permanent for £1,000 if the move is successful.

The whole town was buzzing as the weekend approached, and there was a hell of a lot of positive tension in the air during our training sessions. Such had been our form of late that we actually thought we had a decent shot against top-of-the-tree Premier League Fram, and we would need that confidence.

<pre class="ip-ubbcode-code-pre">| Pos | Inf | Team | | Pld | Won | Drn | Lst | For | Ag | G.D. | Pts || ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|| 1st | Q | Fram (ISL) | | 6 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 14 | 4 | +10 | 14 || ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|| 2nd | Q | FH | | 6 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 15 | 7 | +8 | 13 || ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|| 3rd | Q | KeflavÃ*k | | 6 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 9 | 5 | +4 | 12 || ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|| 4th | | Breiðablik | | 6 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 12 | 10 | +2 | 9 || ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|| 5th | | Valur | | 6 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 6 | 9 | -3 | 8 || ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|| 6th | | Völsungur | | 6 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 7 | 12 | -5 | 6 || ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|| 7th | | KA | | 6 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 13 | -10 | 5 || ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|| 8th | | Fylkir | | 6 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 5 | 11 | -6 | 1 || ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|</pre>

A look at the league table made it perfectly clear that Valur were still favourites to progress. If the Premier League side defeat a mediocre Völsungur side at home then they would leave us needing a win against a very good Fram side. It was still a very tough position to be in, but a position we could still progress from, we had a big crowd expected and we have to go out, enjoy the occasion, thrive on the big game atmosphere, and try our damndest to get the result.

retired_roxysunny101

Breiðablik Vs Fram (Isl) League Cup Grp B, 21st Apr 2005, Kópavogsvöllur Stadium

<pre class="ip-ubbcode-code-pre">| Pos | Inf | Team | | Pld | Won | Drn | Lst | For | Ag | G.D. | Pts || ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|| 1st | Q | Fram (ISL) | | 6 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 14 | 4 | +10 | 14 || ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|| 4th | | Breiðablik | | 6 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 12 | 10 | +2 | 9 || ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|</pre>

Breiðablik: (4-4-2 Diamond) GK: Hafliðason, DL: Sveinsson, DR: Birgisson, DC: Hansen, DC: Podzemsky; MR: Guðmundsson, ML: Rúnarsson, DMC: Sverrisson (c), AMC: Borgþórsson (Bjarnason 83‘); ST: Baldvinsson, ST: B.Pétursson (S.Pétursson 83’)

It is a terribly clichéd suggestion to make, but if the passionate crowd inside a packed Kópavogsvöllur Stadium was not enough to inspire my troops to secure a win - and passage to the quarter finals of the Icelandic League Cup - against top-of-the-table Fram, then nothing would be.

Over 2700 fans turned out to cheer on Breiðablik in this game, and I could only hope as my team ran out of the tunnel to a rapturous welcome - far more frenzied than anything we had previously this season - that my players responded in the right way and gave a performance that they could look back on with pride.

Within a few minutes of their kick-off Fram had already misplaced a few passes, and showed a nervousness that belied their position at the top of the group, and as one of the favourites for the Icelandic Premiership. More promising than that was the fact we seemed to be capitalising on the errors from Fram - with a Rúnarsson shot after 3 minutes following loose Fram play setting the tone of the opening stage.

After only 5 minutes our dominance in midfield was underlined as Hakón Sverrisson won the ball with a fantastic challenge on Bo Henriksen before playing it forward to Rúnnarson. Under pressure as he approached the Fram area, the 21 year old showed stunning composure to slide the perfect ball to slice open the Fram defence, with Marel Baldvinsson timing his run perfectly to spring the offside trip. The Icelandic international took one touch. The 2726 spectators held their breath….before erupting as he delightfully dinked the ball over the onrushing Tómas Ingason into the back of the net. It was a stunning opening to the game; and a beautiful finish by a player playing some sensational football!

The Kópavogsvöllur was rocking for the first time in my stewardship! But the most important thing was that my players were doing themselves justice, by playing some fantastic football, and just generally looking a lot hungrier than our already-qualified Fram.

As the first half continued at a fearsome pace, with both teams buoyed on by the capacity crowd, we continued to be the dominating force. Although it was becoming clear we would have to get a second goal. Gifted pair Borgþórsson and Baldvinsson were linking well, and both had chances to double our advantage, but they were wasteful in front of goal when we needed them at their clinical best.

As the half time break progressed Fram began to come into the game, gaining spells of possession, although not necessarily creating clear goal-scoring opportunities. However, I knew they would have their chances, and as the referee blew for half time I knew we would probably have to get a second goal to go through to the quarter finals.

The atmosphere in the dressing room at half time was very positive - overall it had been a truly fantastic performance in the previous 45 minutes. However, the half time score in the other key game for us was Valur 2 - 0 Völsungur so the bottom line was one goal for Fram, and we were out. The key in my team talk was illustrating that we had done a great job in the first half; and we were 45 minutes away from a huge win and progress in the Cup - but we were also 45 minutes from getting absolutely nothing from the previous 2 months hard work. All I could hope was that my players were big enough in stature to cope with that truth.

As the second half began, it seemed that Fram would continue to gain more possession. More worrying, however, was that they looked a much hungrier side after half time. Their football was slick, and within minutes they were cutting through our midfield with worrying ease. Disaster hit 5 minutes after half time. After some good interchanges in central midfield - which drew us into the trap of becoming narrow - the ball was spread out to the left for Vidir Liefsson, who hit the bi-line before dinking an inviting ball into the box. The cross missed everyone except Fram right winger Ómar Hakónarson, who arrived unmarked (Sviensson was very unaware to his man’s movement) to power the equaliser past Hafliðason.

The Kópavogsvöllur went dead. There had been a tension in the air in the previous couple of minutes as Fram began to exert some pressure, but now the stadium was just flat as the fans watched their team turn conspire to exit the League Cup.

At this moment it seemed incredibly likely that Fram would exert some more Premiership pressure and go on to comfortably record their 5th win from 7 games. However, they seemed to take their foot off the gas after their equaliser; also, my players showed great spirit to drag the game back in the midfield and make it as bitty as possible, all in an attempt to keep ourselves in this game - and with a shot of staying in the competition.

The crowd responded admirably to my players’ endeavours, raising the volume several decibels every time a crunching tackle went in, or a 50-50 ball was won in midfield. They realised that if we won the battle we could win the match. As the second half continued we were winning that battle, but Valur were still 2-0 up at home with both matches with 20 minutes still to play - we desparately needed a second goal.

There is an adage that says ‘the sign of a good striker is when he can play badly and still seems to score’, and that is exactly the striker I perceive Bjarki Pétursson to be. And the much maligned big striker made sure that no-one would remember his anonymous display up to 72 minutes, as he grabbed a gold dust second goal. As far as dream goals go this one was very simple. Georg Birgisson launched an aimless (?) long ball over an incredibly static Fram back four, and as Bjarki ran through on goal the whole stadium seemed to look at the linesman, before jumping off their seats in anticipation when he kept the flag by his side. Bjarki looked like the calmest man in the stadium as he took his sweet time; waiting until he could see the whites in the eyes of the goalkeeper, before sliding the ball past him to send himself, his teammates, the Kópavogsvöllur and me into absolute delirium - and perhaps sending us into the quarters!

I was incredibly happy to see the game descending into a scrap again after our second goal, and as we approached the closing stage I had no qualms about taking off Bjarki and Borgþórsson for S.Pétursson and Bjarnason, switching to a 4-1-4-1 with Baldvinsson using all his skills to buy time.

Completely betraying my attacking roots happily paid dividends, because I would never have forgiven myself if it hadn’t. We kept the ball in our possession and - most importantly - away from Danish Championship winner Bo Henriksen and 52 times capped for Iceland Heldi Sigurdsson up front for Fram. I don’t have many points of reference, but as the final whistle blew it was the happiest moment of my football management thus far - and I knew I was in my dream job!

Man of the Match: Hafstienn Ingvar Rúnarsson (8)

Breiðablik (Baldvinsson 5’, B.Pétursson 75’) 2 - 1 Fram (Isl) (Hakónarson 50‘)

<pre class="ip-ubbcode-code-pre">| Pos | Inf | Team | | Pld | Won | Drn | Lst | For | Ag | G.D. | Pts || ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|| 1st | Q | FH | | 7 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 17 | 8 | +9 | 16 || ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|| 2nd | Q | Fram (ISL) | | 7 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 15 | 6 | +9 | 14 || ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|| 3rd | Q | Breiðablik | | 7 | 4 | 0 | 3 | 14 | 11 | +3 | 12 || ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|| 4th | Q | KeflavÃ*k | | 7 | 4 | 0 | 3 | 10 | 7 | +3 | 12 || ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|| 5th | | Valur | | 7 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 8 | 9 | -1 | 11 || ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|| 6th | | Völsungur | | 7 | 2 | 0 | 5 | 7 | 14 | -7 | 6 || ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|| 7th | | KA | | 7 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 14 | -10 | 6 || ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|| 8th | | Fylkir | | 7 | 0 | 2 | 5 | 6 | 12 | -6 | 2 || ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|</pre>