Alright, I have been quite busy lately and haven't found much time to write about recent results. The matches that were postponed in the 4th round have now been played out and these are the results. Breiðablik - Þróttur 5 - 0 1-0 Berglind Björg Þorvaldsdóttir (25) 2-0 Berglind Björg Þorvaldsdóttir (43) 3-0 Berglind Björg Þorvaldsdóttir (58) 4-0 Alexandra Jóhannsdóttir (67) 5-0 Agla María Albertsdóttir (91) Easy win for Breiðablik against the newbies. It was a bad week for Þróttur, their talisman striker Linda Líf Boama broke her collarbone three days prior to the match and will be out for 4 to 6 weeks. Mary Vignola is also on the injury list and could not participate. And to make matters even worse, Laura Hughes had to sit out her suspension. Against a team like Breiðablik, when your are a newly promoted site, to lose 5-0 without 3-4 key players, is not something to be ashamed about. Player of the match: Berglind Björg Þorvaldsdóttir, her second hatrick of the season. At this rate, nothing will stop her claiming the golden boot for the third year in a row. Breiðablik has now won all their matches, scoring 24 goals and have yet to concede a single goal. KR - FH 3 - 0 1-0 Katrín Ásbjörnsdóttir (24) 2-0 Katrín Ásbjörnsdóttir (32) 3-0 Angela R. Beard (54) A comfortable win for KR who are now finally out of the relegation zone. FH on the other hand are now at the bottom of the table. Player of the match: Katrín Ásbjörnsdóttir. Really nice to see her back in form. If she continues to improve as the season progresses, Jón Þór Hauksson, the national coach will feel forced to give her a closer look. Katrín is now 27 (turns 28 in December) and has 19 caps for Iceland and one goal. Þór/KA - Fylkir 2 - 2 0-1 Margrét Björg Þorvaldsdóttir (65) 1-1 Margrét Árnadóttir (69) 1-2 Bryndís Arna Níelsdóttir (77) 2-2 Own goal (78) A strange game. Nothing much happened in the first 65 minutes but then the floodgates opened. First a good effort from Margrét Björg from distance landed in the net but then only three minutes later Þór/KA evened the score, a goal from Margrét Árnadóttir. On the 77th minute Fylkir was awarded a penalty but it was very hard to see why. 17 year old Bryndís Arna Níelsdóttir converted the penalty into the net scoring her 4th goal of the season. Þór/KA, feeling aggrieved, resumed the game quickly and evened the score again after the ball came off a Fylkir defender, making it 2-2 and that is how the game finished. The Fylkir players come out of the match feeling disappointed as they have high aspirations for the season but the fact remains that Þór/KA was the better team in the whole match and deserved three points. Player of the match: Madeline Rose Gotta. Was involved in both goals scored by Þór/KA and caused many troubles for the Fylkir team.
In the link below, Úrvalsdeild table positions. https://www.ksi.is/mot/stakt-mot/$TournamentGames/Round/?motnumer=40927#choosing-teams-modal
It was only when you posted that, I realized how many major tournaments are scheduled in successive years (Tokyo Olympics + four more). Almost feels like too many... If this season were delayed further and ran so late, could they play matches at any indoor venues in the winter? I'm fascinated seeing the football 'halls' that some places have (7 in Iceland?). But what kind of games are they normally used for?
They could but it hasn't been brought up. Playing indoor means that some teams will lose their home advantage and no one wants that to happen. There is one large indoor facility in Reykjavík which is used by Fjölnir, one in Kópavogur which is used by Breiðablik and HK and one in Akureyri which is used by Þór/KA. There is also a facility in Keflavík which is an hour drive from the capital. There are also some alarming news here in Iceland. A group of people got infected by the virus at a youth cup this week. These are the first cases detected since the beginning of July and could mean more restrictions in Iceland in the coming days, but lets hope not.
8th round results ÍBV - Selfoss 3 - 2 0-1 Tiffany McCarty (3) 0-2 Dagný Brynjarsdóttir (23) 1-2 Olga Sevcova (50) 2-2 Kristjana Sigurz (85) 3-2 Miyah Watford (90) Selfoss continues to dissapoint. The second game in a row without the veteran Hólmfríður Magnúsdóttir shows how thin the Selfoss roster really is. Selfoss started well with goals from McCarty and Dagný. For the rest of the first half Selfoss was more likely to add to their lead. Andri Ólafsson, the ÍBV coach must have given a hell of speech during intermission because a much different ÍBV walked on to the pitch after half time. After only 5 minutes ÍBV made it 1-2 and from then on kept the pressure on the Selfoss team. Kristjana Sigurz, the 18 year old left back on loan from Breiðablik was moved up the pitch where she used her pace to give Selfoss all kinds of problems. Her effort was awarded when she leveled the score 2-2. Then in extra time Selfoss defense fell asleep and Miyah Watford found herself one on one against the goalkepper and scored the winning goal. A well deserved win for ÍBV. Player of the match: Kristjana Sigurz Þór/KA - KR 2 - 1 0-1 Lára Kristín Pedersen (53) 1-1 Margrét Árnadóttir (56) 1-2 Arna Sif Ásgrímsdóttir (77) KR were determined to move themself further up the table and started the match well. Thelma Lóa Hermannsdóttir, one of two daughters of Hermann Hreiðarsson in the league, and Katrín Ásbjörnsdóttir were always dangerous in front of goal and were very unlucky not to have scored a goal. KR kept the pressure on at the start of the second half and It took a long range effort from Lára Kristín Pedersen for the team to gain the lead. Then Margrét Árnadóttir, the "super-sub" came on the pitch for Þór/KA and with her first touch evened the score. The on the 77th minute Þór/KA was given a penalty after the ball struck the hand of KR defender. Margrét Árnadóttir stepped up to take the penalty but just before she was about to run towards the ball the ref noticed she was wearing an earring and blew his whistle! Árnadóttir had to leave the pitch to take her earring off and was not allowed on again to take the penalty. So the captain Arna Sif Ásgrímsdóttir took it up on herself to take the penalty and sent the goalkeeper in the wrong direction making the score 2-1 and that is how it stayed until the end of the match. Player of the match: Margrét Árnadóttir Stjarnan - Þróttur 5 - 5 0-1 Sóley María Steinarsdóttir (13) 0-2 Laura Hughes (16) 1-2 Jana Sól Valdimarsdóttir (28) 1-3 Ólöf Sigríður Kristinsdóttir (40) 2-3 Arna Dís Arnþórsdóttir (43) 2-4 Ólöf Sigríður Kristinsdóttir (45) 3-4 Jasmín Erla Ingadóttir (58) 3-5 Ólöf Sigríður Kristinsdóttir (75) 4-5 Gyða Kristín Gunnarsdóttir (83) 5-5 Gyða Kristín Gunnarsdóttir (88) One way to describe this game is to say that both teams decided not to play defense. Some goals were great, other were true amateur hour especially by the Þróttur goalkeeper. After 16 minutes Þróttur were two goals up, one from Sóley Steinarsdóttir, on loan from Breiðablik, and one from Laura Hughes. Jana Sóla Valdimarsdóttir pulled one back with a great effort from the edge of the penalty box. The last five minutes of the first half were kind of crazy. First Ólöf Kristinsdóttir scored for Þróttur after a corner kick, then two minutes later Arna Dís Arnþórsdóttir scored directly from a cornerkick, the second such goal that Friðrikka Arnardóttir in Þróttur goal has conceded this season. Then 2 minutes into extra time Ólöf scored her second goal after a precise throughpass from 17 year old Andrea Rut Bjarnadóttir. In the second half Jasmín Erla Ingadóttir made 3-4 with a goal for Stjarnan, Ólöf then finished her hatrick with 15 minutes left of game. Her first hatrick in the league. At that moment it seemed that Þróttur had put the game to rest but Stjarnan had other ideas. The Garðabær players put heavy pressure on the Þróttur goal and the substitute Gyða Kristinsdóttir scored two goals from the edge of the penalty box to even the score just before the ref blew his final whistle. Player of the match: Ólöf Sigríður Kristinsdóttir, a perfect hatrick, one with header, one with the left and one with the right. The 17 year old is on a loan from Valur who are probably going to ask her back in the next transfer window this August. Fylkir - Breiðablik 0 - 4 0-1 Karólína Lea Vilhjálmsdóttir (10) 0-2 Karólína Lea Vilhjálmsdóttir (14) 0-3 Berglind Björg Þorvaldsdóttir (29) 0-4 Own goal (37) "The Breiðablik train is in town, better not be in the way" must the Fylkir players have thought during the match. Some people were hoping that Fylkir would put a good fight at home for the sake of the league but they got themselves completely run over. Two nearly identical goals from Karólína Lea Vilhjálmsdóttir finished off the match early. Both goals came after Fylkir had difficulties clearing the ball out of their penalty box. Berglind then made it 3-0 with a good effort, again, from inside the penalty box. The fourth and last goal was a unlucky own goal. Fylkir pulled themselves somewhat together after halftime but Breiðablik was still the much better team and pulled off an easy win. Player of the match: Karólína Lea Vilhjálmsdóttir Valur - FH 3 - 1 1-0 Elín Metta Jensen (38) 2-0 Hlín Eiríksdóttir (41) 3-0 Bergdís Fanney Einarsdóttir (62) 3-1 Madison Gonzalez (78) Pétur Pétursson, the Valur coach was very unhappy with some of his players after the 0-4 loss against Breiðablik and made several changes to the starting lineup. None the less Valur were not impressive in this match against a lackluster FH team, especially considering the talent in the team. Valur put great pressure on the FH team for the first 40 minutes but without creating much. It wasn't until the 38th minute that Elín Jensen scored the first goal with a neat finish inside the box. Three minutes late Hlín Eiríksdóttir made it 2-0 with an effort from the edge of the box that landed in the left corner. Bergdís Einarsdóttir scored Valur's third goal with a long range effort that went under the keeper. After that Valur put their game into second gear and nothing much happened until the 78th minute when the miniature Maddy Gonzalez scored with header for FH. The FH defense was tight for the rest of the half and Valur could not manage to extend their lead any further. Player of the match: Bergdís Fanney Einarsdóttir
It looks like a good description! Icelandic league has to be funny: I don't remember, at least not recently, another 5-5 draw in any major women's league around the world.
It's rather humiliating really. Nick Chamberlain, the Þróttur coach, was visibly angry after the match and told the media that he had never witnessed anything like this before in his career both as a player and as a coach. The fact is that both these teams are very young, the youngest in the league along with maybe Þór/KA. Some players are as young as 16 years old. Another problem in the league is the lack of good goalkeepers. There is a lot of talent here but sadly not in the goalkeeper department.
The goalkeeper shortage seems to be a general Nordic problem, doesn't it? It's a position with low prestige. Girls who want to play ball with hands end up in the sport of handball instead.
Due to rising numbers of covid-19 cases in Iceland the league has been postponed until the 13th of August.
Another Icelandic international coming home. Gunnhildur "Gunny" Jónsdóttir (71 caps, 10 goals), has joined Valur for the rest of the season on loan from Utah Royals. This is great news for Valur, especially considering that Fanndís Friðriksdóttir (109 caps, 17 goals) is pregnant. A versatile player who will always give 200%. It will be very interesting to see how she will fit into the team.
Speaking of coming home, what if anything do you know about K. Arnadottir, whom I think is a midfielder for Breiðablik. She was recruited to play centerback for a U.S. college team that I follow, got to the school a few months back--but now has returned to Iceland and is back playing for her club team. Don't know if it was the pandemic or another reason, but she ended her U.S. college career before starting it, and I'm just curious to know about her talent level. (If she's really good, don't tell me as it will be all the more frustrating!) I think there have been one or two other cases of internationals that were lined up to play for U.S. college teams that reconsidered during the pandemic break--including a talented English player from Arsenal youth who'd signed with UNC but is now back in England and going to sign with another pro team.
Kristín Dís Árnadóttir used to play in the midfield but currently plays as a central defender for Breiðablik. Breiðablik has not conceded a single goal this season and Árnadóttir and Heiðdís Lillýjardóttir have formed a good partnership in the central defense. I wouldn't be surprised if she would be called up for the first time to the national team this autumn or at least next year. Her older sister Ásta Árnadóttir also played college soccer a few years back and has since then earned 8 caps for the Icelandic national team.
Finally some good news. The Úrvalsdeild will resume next Sunday. No spectators are allowed but most matches will be shown on Stöð 2 Sport. Stricter rules will be enforced, f. ex. players can not touch each other while celebrating goals, teams enter the field separately, players on the benches and other staff have to wear masks, interviews will conducted via zoom etc.
These are the 5 league matches that will need rescheduling - assuming the teams didn't miss any others? (Leik frestað = Game delayed)
Stjarnan has made two signings during the August transfer window, Erin McLeod, the Canadian international goalkeeper, and Italian under 19 international striker Angela Pia Caloia. What is so surprising about these signings is that Stjarnan is not wanting in attack (they have more than one youth international in the attack) or in goal but much rather in defence. Nonetheless, great signings for the club.
The matches that are marked Vísir will be streamed on the visir.is website. Hopefully you will be able to watch the stream from your location if you are interested. Vísir is the most read news website in Iceland along with mbl.is (for you information, the most read football/soccer website in Iceland is fotbolti.net.) I will provide you with links when they are available which they should be just prior to the matches.
Here is the stream for Þróttur vs. ÍBV https://www.visir.is/g/20202001060d/bein-utsending-throttur-ibv-mikil-vaeg-stig-i-bodi
Breiðablik - FH https://www.visir.is/g/20202001060d/bein-utsending-throttur-ibv-mikil-vaeg-stig-i-bodi
Here is the stream for Valur vs. KR. The two giants of Reykjavík. The stream starts at 18.00 Icelandic time. https://www.visir.is/g/20202001878d/bein-utsending-kr-valur-reykjavikurstorveldin-maetast
Just when I was about to post the results from the last round with all kinds of information about it, the window somehow closed and all my work disappeared as I had not saved my draft. This has left me in such a foul mood that I am just going to give you the results. Sorry guys Þróttur - ÍBV 0 - 2 0-1 Karolina Miksone (20) 0-2 Fatma Kara (57) Player of the match: Fatma Kara (ÍBV midfielder) Selfoss - Fylkir 0 - 1 0-1 Bryndís Arna Níelsdóttir (90) Player of the match: Cecilía Rán Rúnarsdóttir (Fylkir goalkeeper) Stjarnan - Þór/KA 1 - 1 1-0 Aníta Ýr Þorvaldsdóttir (68) 1-1 María Catharina Ólafsdóttir Gros (93) Player of the match: Erin McLeod (Stjarnan goalkeeper) FH - Breiðablik 0 - 7 0-1 Sveindís Jane Jónsdóttir (8) 0-2 Karólína Lea Vilhjálmsdóttir (42) 0-3 Agla María Albertsdóttir (55) 0-4 Agla María Albertsdóttir (76) 0-5 Agla María Albertsdóttir (79) 0-6 Vigdís Hrefna Friðriksdóttir (85) 0-7 Rakel Hönnudóttir (93) Player of the match: Agla María Albertsdóttir (hatrick and three assists) KR - Valur 0 - 1 0-1 Hlín Eiríksdóttir (14) Player of the match: Angela R. Beard (KR defender)
The good thing about football clichés is, you can do a write-up without even seeing the game It was raining goals! It was The Late Show! It was the Late Late Show! ...ok, I'll stop. That's a shame - one good thing on BigSoccer is that it can often 'save' posts in the browser. Did you press ctrl + W? Or whichever one closes things without warning. It's the worst computer function ever invented. (No, don't try it now!)
Can this top game be seen in full 90 mins in replay on that site or anywhere else? I know the feeling. I've made that mistake earlier as well. Now I always make sure I write every major text in a Word document before posting. .
Been there too. Although it seemed to me that, in the latest years, BigSoccer had introduced an automatic-save function that could resume most of what you had written (except maybe for the last 2-3 minutes). Have you looked for that? I happened to have to expressly cancel texts that I * didn't want to post anymore * because they were anyway saved in the writing window under the thread.