Cornelius strikes twice in Haderslev

25/11 2012 19:26

Andreas Cornelius scored twice as FCK came from a goal down to earn a 2-1 win away to SønderjyskE. Copenhagen extended their lead in the Superliga to nine points following the victory on Sunday.

by Joe Short

Head coach Ariel Jacobs made a number of changes from the XI that started against Molde on Thursday: mainly captain Lars Jacobsen who was rested for Christoffer Remmer. Christian Bolaños also started on the right wing while Thomas Delaney took up a central midfield role.

SønderjyskE kicked off and immediately hit the front foot, Tommy Bechmann whistling a long-range effort over the top of Kim Christensen’s crossbar. FCK came back and César Santin gave Kenneth Stenild his first touch of the game with a twisting effort into the goalkeeper’s hands. A handful of SønderjyskE chances followed before Bolaños saw a scrambled effort deflected over the bar in an intense opening 10 minutes.

A quarter of an hour went by without much incident as both sides battled the breezy conditions, with Henrik Hansen firing over from distance on 23 minutes. Eight minutes later and after more SønderjyskE pressure the home side took the lead when Eyjolfur Hedinsson received a lay-off as he approached the area and drilled a neat left-footed effort past Christensen and into the net.

Cornelius draws scores level

FCK came close to hitting right back five minutes after the goal but Ragnar Sigurdsson couldn’t get enough contact on a Bolaños free-kick. Hansen rattled the frame of FCK goal on 43 minutes while Claudemir entered the field for the injured Bolaños.

It took just three minutes for FCK to equalise after the break, Andreas Cornelius finishing off a great move started by Gislason, converting from close range to make it 1-1. The wind was clearly a factor and with it now behind Copenhagen they applied much of the early pressure.

FCK thought they had taken the lead when Stenild spilled a simple catch in the six-yard box, the ball dropping to Delaney to tap home. But referee Kenn Hansen blew his whistle for a foul on Stenild despite replays suggesting the goalkeeper was untouched. Moments later and SønderjyskE had reason to complain after their goal from a six-yard-box scramble was also chalked off for an innocuous foul.

Super strike from Cornelius!

The game settled down after that flurry of incident and Copenhagen, although holding the majority of possession, too often saw the ball fly out of play due to the strong winds. A communication mix-up with Gill Swerts and Stenild almost produced an own goal, and on 71 minutes Santin came off for Danny Amankwaa.

SønderjyskE offered a real threat 15 minutes from time when Christensen spilled a shot following quick build-up on the right; only the sharp reactions of Michael Jakobsen to head the ball off the line preventing a sure goal. In the next phase of play FCK took the lead thanks once again to Cornelius, who rocketed a free-kick into the top-left corner of the net on 78 minutes.

The lions didn’t pull up at 2-1 and, after a neat one-two with Amankwaa, Cornelius should have done better with his one-on-one chance that skimmed just wide. While Delaney sent a curling effort way off target on 88 minutes, a fantastic last-ditch block by Remmer prevented a sure goal while Hedinsson was inches off the target as the home side continued to battle hard.

Delaney forced a final great save from Stenild as three minutes of added time went up, the majority of which was spent in the corner of the field before Hansen brought the game to a close. With three points FCK extend their lead at the top of the Superliga to nine points and Jacobs’ men must now prepare themselves for Brøndby IF in the DBU Cup.

SØNDERJYSKE: 1 FC COPENHAGEN: 2

SønderjyskE: Stenild, Christensen, Jonasson, Hansen, Swerts, Hart, Hedinsson, Hansen, Bødker, Vibe, Bechmann.

FC Copenhagen: Christensen (C), Remmer, Sigurdsson, Jakobsen, Bengtsson, Bolaños, Kristensen, Delaney, Gislason, Santin, Cornelius.

Goals: Hedinsson, SønderjyskE (31’), Cornelius (48’ & 78’).

Referee: Kenn Hansen.