Faroe Islands pegged back by Kazakhstan
Friday, October 11, 2013
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Faroe Islands 1-1 Kazakhstan
Hallur Hansson and Andrei Finonchenko traded goals in either half as the hosts ended a sequence of eight straight defeats in qualifying.
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The Faroe Islands earned their maiden point in FIFA World Cup qualifying Group C courtesy of a 1-1 stalemate at home to Kazakhstan.
Lars Olsen's side were dreaming of a rare victory when Aalborg BK schemer Hallur Hansson opened the scoring four minutes before half-time. However, Andrei Finonchenko quickly restored parity to condemn the hosts to a bottom-place finish.
On the back foot for long stretches, it was the Faroe Islands who had displayed early sparkle, Jóan Edmundsson heading narrowly wide after 18 minutes. Edmundsson later made amends with a cute back-heel for Hansson, who found the top corner with a rasping long-range drive.
Kazakhstan emerged with a spring in their step after the interval and twice went close before equalising. Failing to clear their lines from a corner, the home team were punished when Finonchenko poked in after Gunnar Nielsen's initial save. A frantic finale ensued, with Páll Klettskard a whisker away from clinching a memorable win for the Faroes after Hansson's shot had been parried.
