From Three Down to Level: KR Reykjavik’s Duel with Thor Akureyri
Besta deild – Matchday 13
Date: July 2, 2026
Venue: VÍS Völlurinn, Akureyri
Result: Thor Akureyri 3-3 KR Reykjavik
Goals: Ágúst Hlynsson (2’), Einar Halldórsson (10’), Aron Stefânsson (13’), Galdur Gudmundsson (36’), Aron Sigurdarson (71’) and Gabríel Eyjólfsson (84’)
Inside the opening minute, a long ball played over the KR Reykjavik’s defensive line caused confusion between defender #21 Gabríel Eyjólfsson and goalkeeper #1 Sigurpâll Ingólfsson. Thor Akureyri forward #22 Ágúst Hlynsson capitalized on the defensive error, calmly finishing to give the hosts an early lead.
Only minutes later, Thór doubled their advantage in spectacular fashion with midfielder #8 Einar Freyr Halldórsson curling an Olimpico directly from the left corner kick into the far side of the goal, making it 2-0.
The remarkable opening continued in the 13th minute when goalkeeper #1 Aron Birkir Stefánsson struck a direct free kick from inside his own half that found the back of the net, extending Thór’s lead to 3-0.
Despite conceding three goals in the opening twelve minutes, KR Reykjavik continued building patiently through the thirds while maintaining the majority of possession. KR Reykjavik consistently looked to overload one side of the field before either combining through the overload or switching play to isolate the weak-side players in 1v1 situations. Third-man runs and combination play frequently allowed them to progress into advanced positions, although the final pass initially lacked precision.
Conversely, Thór remained comfortable defending in numbers before breaking quickly whenever possession changed hands. The majority of duels occurred in the middle third, where both teams aggressively competed for first and second balls in what became an extremely transitional contest.
KR Reykjavik’s persistence was rewarded in the 35th minute. After regaining possession centrally in their attacking third by #77 Orri Kjartansson, a ball is played wide to #17 Luke Rae who serves the ball in a dangerous area for #45 Galdur Guðmundsson to meet the ball on top of the 6-yard box reducing the deficit 3-1.
KR Reykjavik introduced #9 Eiður Gauti Sæbjörnsson for #30 Sigurður Breki Kárason at half time in order to maintain pressure in the attacking third. Thór continued to threaten through rapid counterattacks but struggled to establish sustained possession, while KR Reykjavik dominated the ball and repeatedly worked promising situations through wide combinations and patient circulation.
By the 63rd minute KR Reykjavik replaces their goal scorer #45 Galdur Guðmundsson with #19 Amin Cosic as well as introducing #28 Hjalti Sigurðsson into the match in order to sustain attacking pressure on Thor Akureyri.
In the 70th minute, KR Reykjavik are awarded a penalty that #11 Aron Sigurðarson converts calmly bringing the game to 3-2.
KR Reykjavik are building momentum through wide areas with their patience consistently creating numerical superiority on the flanks before crosses and cutbacks were delivered into dangerous central areas. KR Reykjavik’s equalizer came in the 83rd minute and reflected this attacking approach by overloading the left side, retained possession under pressure, and finding a third-man run entering the penalty area. The resulting near post finish from #21 Gabriel Hrannar Eyjólfsson brought the visitors level at 3-3.
The complexion of the match changed again in the 87th minute when #21 Gabriel Hrannar Eyjólfsson received his second yellow card during a transition moment, reducing KR Reykjavik to ten players for the closing stages. With the numerical advantage, Thór pushed players higher and increased their attacking pressure during stoppage time. The final minutes became increasingly physical, with numerous fouls, duels, and stoppages disrupting the rhythm of play as both sides searched for a decisive fourth goal. Despite Thór’s late pressure, KR Reykjavik defended successfully to complete a remarkable comeback after trailing by three goals inside the opening quarter-hour.
Standout Players throughout the Match:
Galdur Guðmundsson (KR Reykjavík #45) –
Galdur Guðmundsson is a 2006 born right winger playing for KR Reykjavik’s first team. Prior to joining the first team, Guðmundsson played for the likes of AC Horsens, FC Copenhagen U19s, Breidablik and Breidablik’s academy programming. Domestically he has 253’ minutes across 10 appearances so far this season while internationally he represents Iceland’s U21 squad where he has made two appearances for a total of 37’ minutes. Guðmundsson is represented by CAA Stellar.
Throughout the match he demonstrated a positive, attack-minded profile. Consistently looking to drive forward whenever receiving possession. Operating predominantly in wide areas, the right-footed attacker appeared confident in 1v1 situations, showing the willingness to take on defenders and progress the ball through individual actions. Rather than immediately releasing possession, he frequently drew multiple defenders toward himself before connecting with teammates in central areas, creating space for combination play and third-man runs. His ability to advance play and commit defenders made him an important outlet when building attacks. Defensively, Guðmundsson recovered well after turnovers and showed a strong work rate, contributing effectively to regain possession.
Einar Halldórsson (Thór Akureyri #8) –
Einar Halldórsson is a 2008 born defensive midfielder who plays first team football with Thor Akureyri. Coming up through Thor Akureyri’s academy, Halldórsson joined the first team in the 2023/2024 season. This season, he has tallied a total of 1169’ minutes across 13 matches domestically while accumulating 506’ minutes internationally with Iceland’s U19 squad across 10 matches. He is currently represented by Nordic Sky based out of Sweden.
Throughout the match Halldórsson produced a composed and disciplined midfield performance. Comfortable receiving with his body open and facing his own goal during the build-up, the right-footed midfielder consistently maintained possession under pressure and demonstrated excellent composure when confronted in both 1v1 and 2v1 situations. Out of possession, he tracked opposing runners diligently within Thór’s defensive block and displayed a strong understanding of defensive responsibilities. Halldórsson also delivered quality service from set-piece situations. His composure, technical ability under pressure, and effectiveness on dead-ball situations made him one of Thór’s most influential performers.
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