Around 5000 Faroese people were in Berlin for the Faroe Islands’ first championship game ever. Slovenia just barely got away with a win – the score was 32–29.
First of all: the atmosphere created by mainly the Faroese supporters in Berlin was something else. The number that is circulating regarding the amount of Faroese people traveling to the German capital is 5000 people – meaning around 10 percent of the country’s population.
And the Faroese players did the best they could to give their fantastic and fanatic supporters joy. Elias Ellefsen á Skipagøtu, Óli Mittún, Hakun West av Teigum and their teammates competed from start to finish against the much more experienced Slovenian team.
Nothing was separating the two sides after 30 minutes and the score was 13–13. In the second half, the Faroe Islands got off to a hot start, having as much as a 2-goal lead before an inspired Miha Zarabec (7 goals in the second half) turned the game around for Slovenia.
Slovenia’s experience was the difference in the end, but the Faroe Islands gave them a match all the way. Skipagøtu (9 goals) and Teigum (8 goals) combined for 17 goals and this young team can’t be disregarded in any game.
Slovenia eventually won the game, 32–29, and now has a great chance of reaching the main round. The other two teams in group D are Norway and Poland.