Wild celebrations as Stjarnan secure Icelandic title with late penalty

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/oct/06/celebrations-stjarnan-iceland-title-penalty

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The Icelandic season came to the most dramatic conclusion possible on Saturday, when the sides sitting first and second in the table, both of them unbeaten, played each other in the final game to decide the destination of the title. To scenes of wild delirium and utter dismay, the hosts had the silverware ripped from their grasp when their opponents, down to 10 men, won and converted a 93rd-minute penalty.

Olafur Karl Finsen calmly scored from the spot to secure a 2-1 win and a first ever league title for Stjarnan, a team previously best known for a series of highly choreographed goal celebrations that brought considerable attention on social media. Meanwhile Fimleikafelag Hafnarfjardar (FH), who only needed a draw to claim supremacy, were left the disconsolate runners-up.

“When we got the penalty I thought, ‘We are the Icelandic champions,’ because I knew I was never going to miss,” Finsen said. “I had hoped we would get a penalty in this game. It was my fantasy. We are the best team by far. The title is brilliant and Stjarnan will be at the top for many years to come because the young guys that are coming through are much better than me.”

Finsen had given his side the lead five minutes before half-time, but Veigar Pall Gunnarsson was sent off in the 59th minute and the Scottish striker Steven Lennon equalised for FH five minutes later. “I have never been so down as when I got the red card,” Gunnarsson said. “It was a low point for me, but this is incredible. It’s forgotten now. It’s like there is some higher power watching over us.”

Heimir Gudjonsson, the FH coach, insisted that his side should have won the game. “I would like to congratulate Stjarnan,” he said. “It’s very impressive to go through 22 games unbeaten. But I thought we were the better team in this game. We had some great chances when the score was 1-1 but we couldn’t finish them. Football is unpredictable, and it was their day.”

Highlights of the key moments of the game can be found on the Visir website.