FCK leave it late in 2-0 win

18/09 2011 21:51

PARKEN played host to a top of the table clash on Sunday evening with second place Aalborg travelling across the country to face Danish champions FC Copenhagen.

by Joe Short

New signing Lars Jacobsen went straight into the squad as head coach Roland Nilsson handed him his second FCK debut. César Santin came in to replace Morten Nordstrand up front, who scored the crucial winner in Copenhagen’s UEFA Europa League tie with FC Vorskla Poltava in midweek.

Copenhagen started brightly, and almost took an early lead when Thomas Delaney received a Dame N’Doye lay off to shoot on goal, but AaB goalkeeper Nicolai Larsen was equal to it. Three minutes later and N’Doye was through himself, but a Kjetil Wæhler slide tackle was enough to block the striker as he pulled the trigger.

AaB offered their fair share of early pressure, hitting Copenhagen on the counter attack on 12 minutes, but Chris Rolfe’s shot was easily saved by Johan Wiland. Santin then squandered a glorious chance after a determined Pierre Bengtsson found him from the wing, but Santin sliced his effort wide.

AaB inches away from lead

Following the move came a period of relaxation from both sides, and chances came hard to come by after the opening flurry. However, AaB will count themselves unlucky for not taking the lead on 35 minutes. Nicklas Helenius worked his way into space on the edge of FCK’s box to shoot at goal, catching Wiland off his toes. The low effort bounced off Wiland’s right-hand post and to safety, the Swedish Number 1 far from reaching it.

Aalborg continued to threaten down their left wing, but failed to create much from their possession. Delaney did find himself in space on 40 minutes but his shot took a deflection towards goal, and only forced a corner.

The second half began with a real shock, as a long AaB ball exposed Sölvi Ottesen, Henrik Dalsgaard turning him nicely. The striker bore down on Wiland’s goal, but Ragnar Sigurdsson appeared to do enough to put Dalsgaard off, his sliding challenge forcing the Aalborg man to soot wide.

Sigurdsson nets his first FCK goal

Jacobsen almost got an assist to his name when he cut back to Christian Bolaños on 50 minutes, but the winger’s volley was well blocked. Ten minutes later Nordstrand entered the field of Santin, as FCK looked to up the pressure. Indeed, four minutes after the swap only poor finishing from N’Doye prevented the home side taking the lead.

With 15 minutes remaining it looked as though the Lions were struggling to force the breakthrough. First Ottesen poked wide from close range after a high Claudemir throw caused confusion in the AaB box, before the Brazilian himself tasted the frustration of seeing two efforts saved by Larsen in the space of three minutes.

With eight minutes to go however the goal finally came. Bolaños swung in a free kick from the left and Sigurdsson bravely got his head in before Larsen could wipe clear the danger. Wherever or not Sigurdsson actually saw the ball hit the back of the net is uncertain, but the noise of a jubilant PARKEN will have told him his aim had been true.

Copenhagen couldn’t take their foot off the gas however, as Wiland had to get down well to block another Helenius effort with the clock ticking down. The three points were sealed with two minutes to go though, when N’Doye received a neat Christian Grindheim throughball, held off Wæhler and buried his finish.

FC COPENHAGEN: 2 AaB: 0

FC Copenhagen: Wiland, Thomsen, Zanka (C), Ottesen, Bengtsson, Claudemir, Grindheim, Bolaños, Diouf, Santin, N’Doye.

AaB: Larsen, Nielsen, Petersen, Wæhler, Kristensen, Rolfe, Würtz, Wichmann, Due, Dalsgaard, Helenius.

Goals: Sigurdsson (82’), N’Doye (88’).

Referee: Claus Bo Larsen.