It was win or go home for the Faroe Islands as they took on Serbia. Despite a heroic second-half comeback, the Faroes fell just short after a 31–31 draw, which means they can’t reach the quarter-finals.
The Faroe Islands have written history multiple times in this World Cup. Making their debut in the tournament, they have both won their first ever World Cup game and managed to get out of the group stage.
After a clear defeat in the opening game of the main round, the Faroes needed to win against Serbia to keep their quarter-final dreams alive.
The game started with Serbia in control, as they got an early three-goal lead after just 10 minutes. After that, it was back and forth with both teams trading goals. The Faroes managed to score late to make it 14–16 going into the break.
The second half was one to remember. The Faroes came out determined to get back into the game, and after a few key saves from goalkeeper Rakul Wardum, the lead swung in favor of the Faroe Islands.
But despite the momentum shifting, Serbia showed resilience and managed to get back into the game. Goalkeeper Jovana Risović stepped up, and the Serbs managed to retake the lead once again.
Going into the final minute, Serbia held a one-goal lead, but the Faroes had the ball. Súna Hansen managed to create a clear chance to score, but Risović was in the way again, making a massive save for her team.
Serbia should then have been able to put the game to bed, but when Jovana Jovović got a clear opportunity to score, she hesitated, trying to run down the clock.
This caused the referee to call an immediate turnover, and after video review Jovović was shown a red card, giving the Faroes a last-second penalty.
Jana Mittún, who scored ten goals in the game, stepped up and scored the penalty to tie the game 31–31, sparking huge celebrations among the Faroe Islands supporters and players. Despite the incredible point, it isn’t enough to keep their quarter-final dreams alive.
For Serbia, it was a huge blow, but they still have their fate in their own hands with a game against Montenegro, where the winner will go through.