Positive performance in PARKEN
English football returned to PARKEN for the second time this year, as West Ham United took to the pitch to face an in-form FC Copenhagen side. The game was being used by head coach Roland Nilsson as a precursor to FCK’s UEFA Champions League qualifying campaign.
by Joe Short
Nilsson named a strong squad on this proviso, and Hammers manager Sam Allardyce didn’t fail on his commitments to field his first XI. Indeed, for West Ham captain Scott Parker, this was the second time he’d visited Copenhagen this year, after playing in England’s 2-1 win over Denmark in February.
It was FCK who got off to the more positive of starts, Pierre Bengtsson launching over a high throw-in that skipped to the far post, but Pape Pate Diouf’s header cleared the crossbar. Moments later, Dame N’Doye spearheaded a counter attack, passing right to Christian Bolaños, who failed to convert his effort.
At the other end James Tomkins headed wide on eight minutes, but apart from a long-range N’Doye shot from the centre circle that flew wide of Robert Green’s post, there was little in threatening play from either side in the opening stages.
Injury scare resolved
Copenhagen looked comfortable in control, but a five-man Hammers midfield meant progress was slow in going forward. However, they played their typical patient game and on 26 minute César Santin should have done better with a shot wide from the edge of the area.
Ten minutes later it was Santin’s turn to be provider, when he hit the West Ham byline and pulled back to Bolaños. With the goal gaping, the Costa Rican failed to get his body over the ball, resulting in it flying high over the crossbar.
There was a nasty collision between N’Doye and Green towards the end of the first half, when both striker and keeper challenged for a tempting Pierre Bengtsson cross. N’Doye looked to come off the worse, hurting his leg in the aftermath. Luckily he was OK to continue: an injury in pre-season friendlies is never a welcome thing.
Nordstrand disallowed: twice
Nilsson made a large number of substitutions to start the second half, in effort to maintain fitness levels throughout the squad, and test new tactics. Three minutes in and Bryan Oviedo was already called for to do some dogged defending. Frédéric Piquionne got the wrong side of the FCK defence, and just yards out from goal would have scored had it not been for Oviedo, who snuck in to hook the ball clear over his head.
The PARKEN crowd thought they had something to cheer about on 53 minutes, when a quick Diouf pass played substitute Morten Nordstrand through, and he neatly finished under pressure. However, the celebrations were short-lived with the raising of the offside flag. Bolaños then had a low volley well saved by new goalkeeper Ruud Boffin.
It was clearly not going to be the striker’s day however, as Nordstrand again had the ball in the back of the net soon after. Johan Absalonsen’s determination to break free down the left wing gave Bolaños the chance to again volley at Boffin, who spilled the ball across goal. Nordstrand leapt to prod the ball over the line, but Boffin got there first, wrapping two hands firmly around the ball before it was kicked out by the FCK front man.
West Ham clinch it at the death
Play didn’t all go one way in the second half however, with Johan Wiland being called up to perform a looping reaction save with a quarter of an hour remaining. Ragnar Sigurdsson flicked on a fast Hammers free kick towards goal, only Wiland’s quick tip over preventing the away side from taking the lead.
Indeed, it looked as though Copenhagen would hold firm as the clock ticked down. Absalonsen had another chance blocked off, before Oviedo almost got round the back of the defence. Nordstrand missed a fine opportunity with five minutes remaining, and what a miss it would turn out to be, as West Ham bagged the winner in the dying seconds.
Freddie Sears picked up a pass, took the ball round Mathias Zanka and slotted past the on-coming Wiland, sending the 1,000 or so Hammers fans behind the net into delight.
As both managers stated before kick off, it is performances what count at this stage of the season, rather than the result. A 1-0 loss for FCK is hardly a bad thing; considering they created enough chances to take the game to any Champions League qualification candidate.
It’s back to Superliga action for the Lions this weekend, with last season’s runners up OB travelling to PARKEN for the 19:00 kick off on Saturday.
FC COPENHAGEN: 0 WEST HAM UNITED: 1
FC Copenhagen: Wiland, Thomsen, Zanka (C), Sigurdsson, Bengtsson, Claudemir, Grinheim, Bolaños, Diouf, N'Doye, Santin.
West Ham United: Green, Faubert, Reid, Tomkins, Ilunga, Noble, Nolan, Parker, Collison, Boa Morte, Piquionne.
Goals: Sears, West Ham United (89’).
