Fireworks as Copenhagen progress

Jesper Grønkjær replaced Cesar Santin up front in the only change head coach Ståle Solbakken made to the side that beat Esbjerg fB three days ago. Panathinaikos, who knew coming into the game they could not qualify for the knockout stage of the UEFA Champions League, nevertheless fielded a strong squad for their final game in the competition.

by Joe Short

Hjalte Nørregaard waved an emotional farewell to the FCK fans inside PARKEN, as the atmosphere built before kick off. The noise was intense inside the stadium, and it almost got a whole lot louder within the first minute, when Martin Vingaard shot low across goal, but Dame N’Doye couldn’t reach at the back post.

Bar this early chance there was little in the way of goalmouth action for the first 20 minutes, as Panathinaikos packed their midfield, thus restricting FCK from getting near goal. The siege was eventually broken however; Vingaard controlled on the outside of the box before volleying low past Alexandros Tzorvas. The relief was evident in PARKEN; an early goal crucial to avoiding a tense game like that against Rosenborg.

Copenhagen’s heads were up, and Bolaños hit side-netting minutes after the goal. Claudemir turned quickly to lob Tzorvas in the 32nd minute, but the goalkeeper saved magnificently. Grønkjær headed narrowly wide from a corner, before a moment of confusion from Johan Wiland almost gave Panathinaikos a lifeline. The goalkeeper rushed out, dropped his catch and was lucky to be inside his box when he pulled off a decent reflex save.

Cool Grønkjær doubles tally

Wiland went down at the start of the second half with an injury, but was fit to continue. Seconds later and the Lions were gifted a golden opportunity to make it 2-0. Grønkjær tricked his way into the box before going down under a strong challenge by Nikos Spyropoulos. The referee waited a second, and gave the penalty. Grønkjær himself coolly stepped up and slotted left over Tzorvas to double FCK’s lead.

The goal coincided with news from Spain that Barcelona had taken the lead against Rubin Kazan, and suddenly the PARKEN fans could smell the knockout stages. Zdenek Pospech drilled an effort over the bar on 55 minutes, and in the next passage of play N’Doye almost got the goal he deserved. In a reconstruction of the goal he scored in Athens, the striker beat both defender and goalkeeper to a throughball, and wide on the right passed towards the empty net. Already celebrating, N’Doye agonisingly watched the ball bobble onto the near post and out to safety.

The following ten minutes was dominated by Copenhagen, but the majority of play was kept on their own back line. N’Doye had a half chance to deflect a Pospech cross after Jean-Alain Boumsong jumped over the ball. The Czech was then on the receiving end of a heavy challenge by Sebastian Leto, in which the Greek earned a yellow card.

Vingaard creates third

As the clocked ticked down the momentum slowed, but this did not prevent another Lions goal on 73 minutes, and effectively secure their passage through Group D. Djibril Cissé headed in Vingaard’s corner for an own goal and condemn his side to their fourth defeat in the UEFA Champions League this season. Mikael Antonsson appeared to claim the plaudits of the goal, and was substituted shortly after to raucous applause.

With nine minutes remaining Wiland failed to clear his lines in his own box, and only prevented a sure Greek goal with his left foot; Mathias Zanka efficient in clearing the danger. As Wiland lay down injured in the aftermath of the scramble, Zanka could be seen playing up to the crowd, generating further noise from the FCK end.

Firework finale

As the game entered stoppage time fireworks behind the South stand erupted over PARKEN. The festival atmosphere was hardly spoiled by a late consolation goal from Cédric Kanté, and after five minutes of stoppage time Copenhagen were finally confirmed as runners up in their group.

The last 16 now awaits the Danish Champions, who have over two months to rest weary legs over the winter break. The 3-1 victory rounded up an emphatic first half of the season for the club, losing only once at PARKEN and just three times in Europe. The draw for the next round of the Champions League will be held in Nyon, Switzerland on 17 December. As group runners up, Copenhagen are seeded to face a winner of another group, and play their first game at home.

F.C. COPENHAGEN: 3  PANATHINAIKOS FC: 1

FC Copenhagen: Wiland, Pospech, Zanka, Antonsson, Wendt, Bolaños, Claudemir, Kvist (C), Vingaard, Grønkjær, N'Doye.

Panathinaikos FC: Tzorvas (GK), Boumsong, Kanté, Cissé (c), Garcia, Gilberto Silva, Christodoulopoulos, Marinos, Simão, Vyntra, Spyropoulos.

Referee: Florian Meyer (GER)

Goals: Vingaard (26’), Grønkjær, pen.(50’), Cissé, o.g.(73’), Kanté, Panathinaikos FC (90’).