Copenhagen through to DBU Cup final
With a 1-0 victory from the first leg in PARKEN a week ago, FC Copenhagen had the advantage over SønderjyskE in the return clash in Haderslev. Carsten V. Jensen kept the majority of the XI who had played last Wednesday, Christian Gamboa a new face due to Lars Jacobsen’s injury.
by Joe Short
After a quiet start, the game flourished into life on 13 minutes, when Bryan Oviedo overcame his man down the left wing to cross to the far post. Dame N’Doye lurked at the back to beat Anders Østil in the air and give FCK a 1-0 lead.
At this point, the SønderjyskE needed three goals to reach the final. Their first came three minutes after N'Doye’s opener. Quincy Antipas received a long ball, controlled well and played through Icelander Eyjolfur Hédinsson to tap in and balance the scores.
Scarcely had play restarted before Copenhagen went forward again. Mustafa Abdellaoue captured the ball deep in SønderjyskE’s half and laid on to the left, where Pape Pate Diouf – from the edge of the box – fired just yards above the target.
SønderjyskE take the lead
The hectic play from both ends didn’t stop there; Oviedo and Henrik Hansen both received yellow cards after controversy in the middle of the field. In the 26th minute Copenhagen squandered three chances in a row. Claudemir threw one of his characteristic long balls into the box where Abdellaoue, N'Doye and Martin Vingaard all saw their efforts on goal denied.
Two minutes later and SønderjyskE made it 2-1 thanks to Bjørn Paulsen. Hédinsson got the ball on left side and sent in a diagonal cross behind Hansen, but up popped Paulson to finish past Christensen.
It would get even worse for FCK just before the break. SønderjyskE played a long pass from their own half to the edge of Copenhagen’s area, and the nimble striker Antipas came between Kris Stadsgaard and Kim Christensen to knock the ball into the empty goal. 3-1 to SøE would mean the home side would go through.
N’Doye strike offers hope
After the break SønderjyskE continued their dominance, Østil heading onto the post from short range after Mathias Zanka had conceded a foul just outside the area. However, FCK soon clawed one back when, in the 53rd minute, Gamboa found N’Doye with a fine pass, who in turn exchanged a one-two with Abdellaoue before placing his shot past Nathan Coe for 3-2.
With the current scoreline FCK were in the final. But, just three minutes after the reduction, Antipas beat his way past Gamboa from another long pass and nipped in to finish past Christensen, giving the home side a 4-2 lead.
CV made his changes, replacing Vingaard with Christian Bolaños and shortly after Diouf with Pierre Bengtsson. The latter pushed Oviedo forward to left midfield.
Lions progress form the spot
With a little luck N'Doye may have given Copenhagen their ticket to the final, but his free kick attempt whistled past the corner of Coe’s goal. Yet it was to be his team-mate César Santin, after having replaced Abdellaoue, who would score the vital third.
In the 83rd minute the Brazilian neatly knocked the ball past Østli, who tripped Santin from behind. Referee Jacob Kehlet immediately brandished the red card and awarded FCK a penalty. Santin stepped up and buried his spot kick to ensure the Lions’ progression to the DBU Cup final, albeit after Hédinsson hit the crossbar late on.
Although the scores finished level on aggregate, Copenhagen qualified on away goals. The final will be played on 17 May in PARKEN, against the winners of AC Horsens and HB Køge tonight.
SØNDERJYSKE: 4 FC COPENHAGEN: 3
SønderjyskE: Coe, Storbæk, Østil, Johansson, Christensen, O’Brien, Bødker, Paulsen, Hansen, Hédinsson, Antipas.
FC Copenhagen: Christensen, Gamboa, Stadsgaard, Zanka, Oviedo, Vingaard, Claudemir, Grindheim, Diouf, Abdellaoue, N’Doye.
Goals: N’Doye (13’), Hédinsson, Sønderjyske (16’), Paulsen, Sønderjyske (28’), Antipas, Sønderjyske (43’), N’Doye (53’), Antipas, Sønderjyske (56’), Santin (84’ pen.).
Red Card: Østil, Sønderjyske (84’)
Referee: Jacob Kehlet.
