FCK-Celtic 3-1 (2-0)
The Champions League-adventure is over for now, but F.C. Copenhagen showed great spirit and motivation in the final game against Celtic and deservedly won 3-1 after being 2-0 up at half time.
Ståle Solbakken had chosen to give young William Kvist the chance in central midfield in stead of Hjalte Nørregaard, and Jesper Grønkjær was back on his favourite position in left midfield for the first time since his injury period.
After a minute and a half, Atiba Hutchinson gave the already enthusiastic home crowd further reasons to cheer, when he found his way through the Scottish defence and coolly slotted the ball home past keeper Artur Boruc. And after 14 minutes Marcus Allbäck came very close to adding the second, but hit the underside of the cross bar from close range following a corner from Linderoth.
Atiba Hutchinson scored after 90 seconds!
Gradually Celtic got back into the game and began to produce changes, while the Copenhagen defence in some situations seemed to lack a bit of concentration. Mark Wilson found Zurawski in the penalty area, but the angle became to narrow before he could launch a shot against Jesper Christiansen, and a few minutes later Kenny Miller missed a golden opportunity when he headed over the cross bar from close range. Miller got an even bigger chance, when Naylor sent him completely through with only Jesper Christiansen to beat – and he did, but Michael Gravgaard heroically reached back to clear the ball off the line.
But in stead of the threatening equalizer, Copenhagen struck back after yet another set piece. Again a Linderoth-corner, which Brede Hangeland headed back across the goal mouth to Jesper Grønkjær, and he made no mistake against the hesitating Celtic-defence.
Grønkjær on target with goal number two
10 minutes into the second half, Marcus Allbäck definitely settled the game, when he took advantage of another defensive mistake. Linderoth sent a freekick into the penalty area, and two defenders collided in their attempt to cover Michael Gravgaard. The ball passed on to Allbäck, who again showed his ability to be at the right place at exactly the right time and neatly sent the ball past Boruc. It was his third goal in the Champions League and he might have been four a few minutes later, when he volleyed a long ball from keeper Jesper Christiansen (!) just over the crossbar…
Gordon Strachan made a double substitution and introduced Pearson and Nakamura, which added more creativity and energy to the offensive play. And Nakamura was also behind the Scottish consolation goal, when Jarosik steered his freekick into the net. Celtic maintained pressure against the tired Copenhagen-players, but in the end it was closer to 4-1 than 3-2 – first when Boruc couldn’t hold on to a Gravgaard-header and Grønkjær nearly picked up the loose ball, and then when a Silberbauer-cross from the right took the crossbar and went back into play.
Eventually it ended 3-1, and the UEFA Champions League adventure is over for Copenhagen. Except from the fact that we finished last in the group and not qualified for the round of 16 or the UEFA Cup, it has been a very satisfying and valuable experience for everyone involved. And 7 points in 6 games after 3 home games without defeat against three European top clubs is perhaps even more than expected 3 months ago. And in three of the other 7 groups it would have been enough to advance… Actually, 9 of the 32 clubs in the 8 group stages gathered less points than Copenhagen – i.e. teams like Hamburger SV, Anderlecht, Sporting and Galatasaray.
But this is history. After the winter break, this international top level-experience will only add motivation to the hunt for another national Championship - and the chance to write a new chapter in the Champions League-story book next autumn!
All photos by Carl Redhead
Matchfacts:
F.C. Copenhagen-Celtic 3-1 (2-0)
2.: 1-0 Atiba Hutchinson
27.: 2-0 Jesper Grønkjær
57.: 3-0 Marcus Allbäck
75.: 3-1 Jiri Jarosik
Attendance: 38.647
F.C. Copenhagen: Jesper Christiansen – Lars Jacobsen (56.: Hjalte Nørregaard), Brede Hangeland, Michael Gravgaard, Oscar Wendt – Michael Silberbauer, Tobias Linderoth, William Kvist, Jesper Grønkjær (90.: Fredrik Berglund) – Atiba Hutchinson, Marcus Allbäck (81.: Martin Bergvold). (Un-used substitute: Benny Gall)
Booking: Jesper Grønkjær
