Narrow 2-1-win in Esbjerg

The players celebrating Martin Vingaards goal

Photo: Lars Møller, Sportsagency.dk

by Joe Short

It may have been the second match of the new season, but coach Ståle Solbakken called in the changes to his first team ahead of FCK’s trip to Esbjerg.

Brazilian pair Cesar Santin and Claudemir were given their first starts of the season, while back-from-suspension Jesper Grønkjær was handed a place on the substitute bench.

After a cagey start – with both sides doing little with the possession they had – it was Santin who was first to offer a glimmer of attacking potential. A long throw into the penalty area fell to the striker, but he could only fire wide of the post. Minutes later, two balls in quick succession from the right by Zdenek Pospech reached Santin, but again his attempts failed to trouble the Esbjerg goal.

His efforts were eventually rewarded however after a neat move from the Copenhagen midfield. After some tight play on the left wing from the Lions, debutant Claudemir dropped inside to pick up a ball from N'Doye. With little time and space he played a precision chip over the Esbjerg defense to Santin. Before the home side knew what had happened, the forward ran through to slot the ball past the oncoming goalkeeper.

The game somewhat settled down after the goal, and it took Esbjerg a while to find any sort of response. When it came, solid set piece defending by Dame N’Doye saw away the danger.

N’Doye wasn’t the only striker to prove his defensive capabilities, however, as towards the close of the half a looming header from Sölvi Ottesen was cleared off the line by Esbjerg forward Arnór Smárason, preventing FCK from doubling their cushion.

The second half started much like the first, with Copenhagen dominating the play. Pospech sliced wide of goal and N'Doye had a couple of chances in a crowed penalty box, while - at the other end of the pitch - JohanWiland was barely tested.

Copenhagen did finally double their lead with 20 minutes to go, from a neat 25-yard free kick by Martin Vingaard. His right-footed effort curled round a poorly placed wall to beat Lars Winde to the bottom right corner.

At 2-0 the away side looked comfortable, with Grønkjær coming on for Santin as Solbakken, and shortly after Vingaard was brought off for Thomas Delaney. However, a short corner from Esbjerg’s Kevin Conboy just three minutes after Vingaards goal saw him free on the edge of the area. The left back had time to deliver a thunderous drive into the roof of the net with a quarter of an hour still remaining.

Suddenly, Copenhagen had to battle hard to keep their one goal lead. Dogged but resilient defending from Pospech and Ottesen kept the home side at bay as the Copenhagen box was peppered with crosses. However, very few efforts troubled the goal.

After five minutes of stoppage time – in which Copenhagen held the ball up for long spells in their opponent’s half – the referee finally brought the game to a close, securing maximum points for the away side.

F.C. Copenhagen line up: Johan Wiland - Zdenek Pospech, Sölvi Ottesen, Mikael Antonsson, Oscar Wendt - Claudemir, William Kvist, Hjalte Nørregaard, Martin Vingaard (74.: Thomas Delaney) – César Santin (70.: Jesper Grønkjær), Dame N’Doye.