Season review: Iceland

ÍA Akranes won the Urvalsdeild by the narrowest of margins after a last-day showdown with championship rivals ÍBV Vestmannæyjar.

Sucker punch
With both sides level on points going into the decisive game at the Hásteinsvöllur stadium, ÍA were narrowly in the lead at the top of the table on goal difference. A sell-out crowd were stunned as Kári Steinn Reynisson put the visitors ahead after just seven minutes. Knowing they needed to win to take the title, ÍBV pushed forward but were caught by a sucker punch just two minutes later when Sigurdur Sigursteinsson doubled ÍA's lead.

Frantic finish
The hosts refused to give up and threw themselves a lifeline midway through the first half when Tómas Ingi Tómasson grabbed his seventh goal of the season to make it 2-1. Urged on by a partisan crowd, ÍBV then equalised on the hour mark as Tómasson popped up once more to draw the sides level. A frantic finish saw chances come and go at both ends but ÍA held out to earn a point and confirm themselves as the league champions for the first time since 1996.

Four points clear
The 2-2 draw was hard on ÍBV who had pressed the eventual winners all season and finished four points clear of third-placed FH Hafnarfjördur with a final total of 36 points from their 18 Urvalsdeild games.

Disaster for Valur
At the other end of the table, Breidablik were cast adrift at the bottom and were relegated at with just 14 points and only four league wins all season. Valur Reykjavík finished five points above Breidablik but could still not escape relegation after a disastrous last-day defeat to the bottom side. Victory would have seen them leapfrog over Fram Reykjavík to safety.

Tense final
The Icelandic Cup brought its share of drama with Fylkir eventually getting the better of KA Akureyri in a tense final. The balance of the game was constantly shifting with Hreinn Hringsson giving KA a first-half lead, only for Sverrir Sverrisson to equalise early in the second half. A Hringsson penalty put KA ahead again after 56 minutes but Ólafur Stígsson headed home a Finnur Kolbeinsson corner to level the scores at 2-2.

Sturluson saves the day
With no further goals, a penalty shoot-out decided the result and Fylkir goalkeeper Kjartan Sturluson atoned for giving away a penalty earlier in the game by saving Dean Martin's kick to give his side victory.

Fourth-time lucky?
Sadly, financial problems played their part in the Urvalsdeild season too but in one of the more surprising stories of the year, coach Kjartan Másson returned to cash-strapped Keflavík for the fourth time in his 22-year career. Gústaf Björnsson had left the club after it was announced that they could no longer afford to pay any wages at the Keflavíkurvöllur stadium. If the situation does not improve, everybody who turns out for the side next season will be doing so for the love of the club.

Champions League disappointment

Flying the flag