Jacobsen earns FCK late point
Lars Jacobsen scored a last-minute equaliser to secure FC Copenhagen a hard-earned point on a drenched night in Randers.
by Joe Short
The club captain popped up unmarked on the right edge of the box to drill home his first goal of the season as Randers’ resolve was finally broken.
Defender Alexander Fischer had cleared three FCK efforts off the line before Jacobsen found a way to cancel out Nicolai Brock-Madsen’s first-half opener.
Nicolai Jørgensen, Igor Vetokele and Rurik Gislason all came close but were equalled by goalkeeper Peter Jensen, who had a spectacular game between the sticks.
Lions begin brightly
Head coach Ståle Solbakken made two changes from the team that started at Galatasaray in midweek, Christian Bolaños replacing Gislason on the right wing while Kris Stadsgaard came in for Olof Mellberg in the heart of defence.
Copenhagen started the brighter and three minutes in Vetokele forced a neat left-diving save from Jensen to prevent the Lions taking an early lead. Five minutes later and Bolaños set up Claudemir for an 18-yard effort but the Brazilian sliced his effort high into the stands.
The Randers midfield soon tightened up and the game witnessed a scrappy period before Bolaños squeezed a shot from the right that Jensen turned around the post on 20 minutes. Moments later and Brock-Madsen came close to converting Ronnie Schwartz’s cross-goal effort at the other end, the striker inches away from connecting at the far post.
Randers score on half time
The rainy conditions began to affect play midway through the first half, with both sides’ players struggling with their footing at times. Daniel Braaten was the next to threaten just eight minutes before the break with a looping control and volley from the far post of a corner, only for Randers left-back Alexander Fischer to head clear off the line.
Two dogged blocks from Johnny Thomsen prevented both Braaten and Jørgensen from getting shots on goal after Pierre Bengtsson had led a swift FCK counter down the left wing. Just before half time Copenhagen were made to rue their missed chances as Brock-Madsen rose early to beat Stadsgaard to a Fischer cross from the Randers left to head the home side into a 1-0 lead.
Although the weather receded during half time it took nine minutes for the first shot of the second to arrive, Schwartz firing from distance into Wiland’s arms. Copenhagen were finding chances limited as Vetokele headed Jacobsen’s direct cross high over the bar and Braaten again saw an effort blocked.
Ståle makes three changes
Wiland was again on hand to prevent Brock-Madsen after Randers had attacked FCK’s deep defence, the goalkeeper then getting low to save Viktor Lundberg’s ranged shot on 71 minutes. Shortly after Ståle made a triple substitution, bringing on Fanendo Adi, Youssef Toutouh and Gislason for Vetokele, Bolaños and Claudemir as the Lions sought an equaliser.
The changes gave FCK an extra dimension and Pierre Bengtsson soon found Gislason free in the Randers box, only for the Icelander to head wide. Jørgensen was denied a spectacular curling goal when Jensen arched to his left to tip a 25-yard effort wide for a corner, while Fischer got his head in the way again to block a sure goal – this time from Gislason’s head.
Jacobsen levels at the death
On 87 minutes Fischer cleared off the line for a third time after an unknown Copenhagen head beat Jensen to a high corner delivery. It looked as though the Lions would never break this Randers defence but two minutes into stoppage time, after patient build-up across the penalty box, the ball finally came to the unmarked Jacobsen, who drilled his shot from the right through Jensen for 1-1.
The goal was the last notable moment of a tough away trip in Jutland as the hardy FCK supporters celebrated their captain’s contribution. The point leaves Copenhagen in mid-table ahead of our DBU Cup clash with OB on Wednesday, before a home tie against Nordsjælland on Sunday 2 November.
RANDERS: 1 FC COPENHAGEN: 1
Randers: Jensen, Thomsen, Nielsen, Agesen, Fischer, Kamper, Keller, Bjarnason, Borring, Schwartz, Brock-Madsen.
FC Copenhagen: Wiland, Jacobsen (C), Stadsgaard, Sigurdsson, Bengtsson, Bolaños, Delaney, Claudemir, Jørgensen, Vetokele, Braaten.
Goals: Brock-Madsen, Randers (45+1’), Jacobsen (90+2’).
Referee: Peter Rasmussen.
