FCK out of Europe despite draw

06/12 2012 21:06

FC Copenhagen battled hard to a draw in PARKEN against Steaua Bucharest but the point was not enough to qualify to the UEFA Europa League knock-out stage. Igor Vetokele gave the Lions hope but they go out on goal difference.

by Joe Short

The instructions were clear for FCK: win by two goals to guarantee qualification or win and hope Stuttgart drop points to Molde. Head coach Ariel Jacobs handed Nicolai Jørgensen a start up front with Andreas Cornelius, while Thomas Delaney and Rurik Gislason took up the wings. Jacobs said earlier in the week the FCK fans would make PARKEN hell for Steaua, and they certainly voiced their support for the Lions when the teams emerged from the tunnel.

Very little happened in the opening throes as Bucharest commanded the majority of possession yet a handful of free-kicks into the box came to nothing. Copenhagen were struggling to maintain the ball up front and their first real attack came from Lars Jacobsen’s careering run down the right on 22 minutes, but the opening came to nothing. Two minutes later and Steaua’s Raul Rusescu had the first shot of the game, firing over from 20 yards.

Only the alert Ragnar Sigurdsson prevented Steaua striker Stefan Nikolic from tapping in on half hour. As the game neared half time Copenhagen saw more of the ball but a red wall of Steaua shirts prevented the Lions from even pulling off a shot. It took 40 minutes before FCK first caught a sight of goal but Claudemir curled a long-range effort high and wide.

Steaua down to 10 men

The second half started with real drama as Steaua’s Cristian Tanase went down in the box under a Thomas Kristensen challenge. PARKEN froze as referee Huseyn Gocek blew his whistle but, rather than award a penalty, booked Tanase for simulation. It was the striker’s second yellow of the night and so he had to walk: Steaua down to 10 men.

Copenhagen failed to make use of their advantage for a while, however, as Bucharest sat back on the edge of their own area. In effort to instil some firepower up front Igor Vetokele came on for Claudemir on 65 minutes, and moments later Sigurdsson had a golden chance to take the lead but he flicked over Cornelius’ downward header from a corner. Vetokele made Ciprian Tatarusanu work for the first time with a header the keeper easily pounced upon, while Cornelius had a better chance stopped on 70 minutes when his header from six yards was parried clear.

Just as FCK looked to be on the front foot Steaua scored through a magnificent effort from Rusescu. The striker poached Delaney in the centre of the park before advancing a few yards to let fly a swerving shot away from Kim Christensen and into the net. Jacobs immediately brought César Santin on for Gisason and moments later Cornelius almost equalised but his deflection from Kris Stadsgaard’s shot bobbled agonisingly wide of the post.

Vetokele equalises but to no avail

Sigurdsson saw another header fly over on 82 minutes as FCK pressed hard. Their travails paid off eventually as Vetokele headed the Lions level with just three minutes remaining. The striker was there to meet Jacobsen’s cross from the right and give Copenhagen hope at the death, 1-1!

Four minutes of injury time were given in which FCK took their time building up their attacks. Tatarusanu collected a weak Cornelius header while Jørgensen blazed over the crossbar. Vetokele was clearly playing through the pain after picking up a knock and despite FCK’s best efforts they couldn’t for the lock a second time, both Steaua and Stuttgart going through, the former on goal difference.

FC COPENHAGEN: 1 STEAUA BUCHAREST: 1

FC Copenhagen: Christensen, Jacobsen (C), Stadsgaard, Sigurdsson, Bengtsson, Gislason, Claudemir, Kristensen, Delaney, Jørgensen, Cornelius.

Steaua Bucharest: Tatarusanu, Gardos, Latovlevici, Chiriches, Pintilli, Chipciu, Tanase, Bourceanu, Rusescu, Popa, Nikolic.

Goals: Rusescu, Steaua Bucharest (73’), Vetokele (87’).

Red Cards: Tanase (48’).

Referee: Huseyn Gocek (TUR).