Lions beat SønderjyskE

by Joe Short

FC Copenhagen returned from Champions League action with a 2-1 Superliga victory against SønderjyskE.

The Lions led through Rurik Gislason's first-half wonder strike that ducked and served its way into the net from distance.

Nicolai Jørgensen pounced on a loose ball in the box to volley FCK into a two-goal lead just after the hour, SønderjyskE midfielder Julian Luque adding a consolation with the goal of the game in stoppage time.

The win moves Copenhagen up in seventh place ahead of the two-week international break.

Head coach Ståle Solbakken made three changes from the Lions' Champions League defeat at Real Madrid in midweek. Christoffer Remmer started at left-back for the suspended Pierre Bengtsson, while Nicolai Jørgensen dropped into midfield to facilitate Igor Vetokele and Fanendo Adi.

FCK begin with intent

Gislason was the first to get a shot on target, forcing a way through the SE midfield before sending a tame effort into Marin Skender's hands. Eight minutes in and Adi saw his first chance flash wide when Lars Jacobsen headed square from the right wing for the forward, Adi rising past Hallgrimur Jónasson but heading off target.

Vetokele had arguably a better chance three minutes later. The striker wriggled free into a one-on-one position on the edge of the box but his shot hit Skender and out for a corner. Vetokele did have the ball in the back of the net 18 minutes in but his effort was ruled offside by half a yard.

The PARKEN crowd were again on their feet when Gislason drove through midfield and fired the ball against the stanchion behind the goalkeeper's left-hand post, the majority of fans believing it had nestled in the bottom corner.

Gislason makes it 1-0

They didn't have long to wait before the opener, however, when Gislason struck a swerving effort from 25 yards that caught Skender completely off guard. The goal was a result of patient build-up in the Lions midfield and was the least they deserved from a dominant opening period.

The goal stifled much of FCK's attacking intent as SønderjyskE sat back, happy to see their opponents pass without threatening. Gislason almost doubles his tally on 36 minutes but had to settle for a corner, while at the other end Henrik Hansen dragged SE's first attempt wide form distance.

It was SønderjyskE who pushed forward at the start of the second half but Gislason was the first to get a shot off at the other end, firing wide after collecting from Adi down the left.

Jørgensen adds a second

Vetokele headed onto the bar from a tempting Jacobsen centre on 55 minutes just before Jørgensen tested Skender with a neat effort having collected the ball in the box and jinked sideways to make space.

Olof Mellberg also headed over as FCK searched for their second, while Skender spilled a right-footed Remmer effort just after the hour - luckily for the goalkeeper Adi was too slow to react.

FCK continued to attack down the right flank and were rewarded with a second goal - albeit a scrappy one - on 66 minutes. Gislason and Adi were involved in some head tennis before the ball dropped to Jørgensen, who half-volleyed into the bottom-left corner from 10 yards for 2-0.

Wonder goal from SønderjyskE

Ståle made changes 70 minutes in, César Santin and Daniel Braaten entering the field as FCK continued their command of the ball. Mellberg again came close to scoring but was denied by a combination of Skender and the crossbar from a corner with 11 minutes left, while Wiland made his first save of the game from a low Daniel Christensen shot four minutes later.

Santin headed his first chance wide after good communication with Gislason and Remmer down the left, the midfielder then coming off to the applause of the Lions fans.

Just as the board went up for three-minutes of stoppage time Julian Luque volleyed SønderjyskE back into the tie with a superb looping effort over Wiland from the right corner of the box. It would only stand as a consolation, however, as FCK saw the game out to head into the international break on a high.

FC COPENHAGEN: 2 SØNDERJYSKE: 1

FC Copenhagen: Wiland, Jacobsen (C), Mellberg, Sigurdsson, Remmer, Claudemir, Delaney, Gislason, Jørgensen, Vetokele, Adi.

SønderjyskE: Skender, Hart, Paulsen, Mussmann, Christensen, Madsen, Jónasson, Hansen, Jensen, Absalonsen, Bechmann.

Goals: Gislason (29'), Jørgensen (66'), Luque, SE (90').

Referee: Michael Johansen.