Hammarby-FCK 1-2 (0-2)

10/12 2006 23:43

Without playing to their full strength FCK defeated Hammarby 2-1 in Stockholm in the last game of the year. This means Copenhagen still has a good chance to qualify for the quarter finals, when Royal League is resumed in February.

For the last of the 33 games this autumn, Copenhagen travelled to Stockholm with the best possible squad, leaving only the injured Lars Jacobsen, André Bergdølmo, Dan Thomassen and Jeppe Brandrup behind. Ståle Solbakken chose to let Michael Silberbauer and Jesper Grønkjær start on the bench, but still Copenhagen took control of the game right from the start.

After several good chances against a rather bewildered Hammarby-defence, Marcus Allbäck put the guests in front after 15 minutes following a corner from William Kvist. From then the game became more messy, but Copenhagen never lost control and demonstrated the difference between a confident Champions League-competitor and a Swedish team, who since their season ended the 5th of November only had played a 4 Royal League-games and lost three of them. Furthermore several key players has left or is about to leave the team.

Hjalte Nørregaard and Tobias Linderoth fighting for the ball

Towards the end of the first half, Hammarby managed to produce a couple of half chances, but then FCK struck back in the dying seconds when Martin Bergvold laid a ball perfectly back to Atiba Hutchinson, who scored with a beautiful left footer in the far corner.

In the second half Copenhagen put the game on cruise control, leaving Hammarby with the ball for the most of the time, but keeping them away from big chances. Atiba Hutchinson had a couple of good chances to get his first double since joining Copenhagen a year ago, but in the end the strong Canadian had to settle with one.

Celebrating Atiba Hutchinsons goal to 2-0

And as it turned out, it was the decisive goal, as Hammarby finally managed to get a consolation goal, when Hanis Laitinen chipped the ball past Jesper Christiansen. But it was not only a late consolation goal, it was a too late consolation goal to go for an equalizer, which also would have been highly undeserved. In stead the Copenhagen-players could celebrate another 3 points before heading home for Christmas holiday, which they very much deserve after an autumn which probably is the must successful ever in the clubs history!

Matchfacts:
HAMMARBY IF-F.C. COPENHAGEN 1-2 (0-2)
15.: 0-1 Marcus Allbäck
45.: 0-2 Atiba Hutchinson
90.: 1-2 Hanis Laitinen
Attendance: 4.108

F.C. Copenhagen: Jesper Christiansen – William Kvist, Brede Hangeland, Michael Gravgaard, Oscar Wendt – Atiba Hutchinson, Tobias Linderoth (70.: Michael Silberbauer), Hjalte Nørregaard, Martin Bergvold – Fredrik Berglund (83.: Lasse Qvist), Marcus Allbäck (70.: Jesper Grønkjær). (Un-used substitutes: Razak Pimpong, Nikolaj Hansen, Benny Gall)

Bookings: Atiba Hutchinson and William Kvist