Jørgensen leaves it late for Lions

Nicolai Jørgensen’s late strike earned FC Copenhagen a gritty three points against Esbjerg in Telia Parken.

In the fourth game between the two sides within a month, Jørgensen adjusted his body to angle home Christoffer Remmer’s cross from the right.

Daniel Amartey’s second-half strike had cancelled out an own goal from Thomas Høgli.

And Steve De Ridder should have added a third but was denied by the foot of Martin Dubravka.

The win pushes FCK 12 points clear of third-place Randers and to within nine of FC Midtjylland at the top of the Alka Superliga.

Fresh off a DBU Cup semi-final in Esbjerg on Thursday, the game started with a sense of real familiarity between the two sides.

It took almost quarter of an hour for Tom Høgli to have the first chance of the match - the right-back rocketing an effort wide of goal, before Amartey sent another ball into the crowd.

Esbjerg took the lead through Høgli’s own goal when the right-back nodded on a near-post corner over everyone’s head and into the net.

And it was only Stephan Andersen’s quick thinking a minute before the goal that prevented Daniel Larsson from scoring when Per Nilsson mistimed a long ball to let the striker through.

Copenhagen came out for the second half far stronger, Nicolai Jørgensen slicing wide a volley after Esbjerg had failed to clear a corner.

Steve De Ridder had a glorious chance to level on 55 minutes when he pounced on a loose ball but saw his strained effort blocked by Daniel Stenderup.

Only a superb recovery tackle from captain Thomas Delaney prevented Esbjerg doubling their lead when the midfielder chased down Larsson and slid in to clear the danger from under his opponent’s feet.

The chance was a wake-up call for the Lions, who pushed forward with vigour and were denied a sure leveller when goalkeeper Dubravka magnificently pushed clear Mathias Zanka’s towering header from three yards out.

The nerves were rising in Telia Parken but Zanka’s effort was a sign of things to come and in the resulting passage of play Amartey bundled in the equaliser after Jørgensen’s initial header had been turned onto the post.

Esbjerg responded by hitting the post themselves when Larsson’s cross evaded everyone but bounced off the upright and to safety, before EfB captain Magnus Lakven was booked for a late challenge in the back of Delaney.

It was not until three minutes from time that Jørgensen finally got his goal. Neat build-up play eventually saw Remmer clear on the right and, as he hit the by-line, the substitute centred for Jørgensen, who slid home the winner.

FC COPENHAGEN: 2  ESBJERG: 1

FC Copenhagen: Andersen, Høgli, Zanka, Nilsson, Austinsson, Sigurdarson, Amartey, Delaney, Gislason, De Ridder, Jørgensen.

Esbjerg: Dubravka, Laursen, Stenderup, Jakobsen, Knudsen, Nielsen, Friberg, Lekven, Lyng, Larsson, Fellah.

Goals: Høgli, Esbjerg (og. 27’), Amartey (73’), Jørgensen (87').

Referee: Anders Paulsen.