Scoreless at the Bridge
16/03 2011 23:59
Photo: Lars Møller, Sportsagency.dk
In his pre-match press conference on Tuesday, FCK head coach Ståle Solbakken admitted his side would have to be positive if they were to overcome the two-goal deficit inflicted by Chelsea in PARKEN last month. An attacking line-up showed he would be true to his word, as Solbakken chose to move Jesper Grønkjær up front to partner Dame N’Doye.
by Joe Short
With the absence of Zdenek Pospech through suspension, Oscar Wendt took up the right back role, leaving Pierre Bengtsson on his familiar left side. Mathias Zanka began at centre back with Mikael Antonsson, who proved his fitness after suffering a muscle strain at the weekend trip to Aalborg.
Regardless of Copenhagen’s attacking set up, one was always to assume Chelsea would be up for the fight from the start, and indeed they were. In the second minute Frank Lampard found the side netting from close range, before Ashley Cole hit the same spot shortly after. It was all Chelsea in the opening stages: a neat move directed by Didier Drogba set up Yuri Zhirkov, but the Russian also fired wide.
N’Doye agonisingly close
It took Copenhagen 20 minutes to find their rhythm, and soon they began passing around tidily at the back. Their patience almost paid off in emphatic style on 25 minutes, when N’Doye struck a free kick that looked destined for goal. Petr Cech was stranded, and could do nothing but watch as the ball slammed into his right-hand post and bounce back into play. The groan from the raucous FCK support flooded the stadium, as echoes of the Nou Camp reverberated in their memories. Back in October – as we all remember – N’Doye hit the crossbar, with the end result the same. Lady Luck was once again not on his side.
Although Copenhagen looked to push forward, they stuck to their manager’s pre-match oath of a strong defence. Wendt flew in to make a last-second tackle on Nicolas Anelka, two yards out from goal: while Jon Obi Mikel hit Johan Wiland’s crossbar with a header just after half time.Indeed, it appeared the half time team talk had spurred on FCK even more. Antonsson blocked a sure-fire goal again from Anelka, before the Frenchman shot low into Wiland’s arms. Meanwhile, N’Doye fired harmlessly at Cech at the other end, and then blazed wide on another counter attack.
With half an hour remaining Solbakken made a tactical substitution, replacing Bengtsson with Kenneth Zohore. The young striker moved immediately up front, as the Lions changed to a 4-3-3 formation, in search for the illusive breakthrough goal. However, it was another substitute – Fernando Torres – who had the first opportunity on goal, but Wiland did well to get down and block the goal-bound effort.
FCK go all-out for win
In the 75th minute Martin Vingaard went down under a fair challenge from Lampard, and couldn’t get up again. He was immediately taken off as a precaution, and on came César Santin. With four strikers on the pitch, FCK were really going for it now. Luckily it appears Vingaard’s injury – to his knee – is not too serious.
From the substitution Copenhagen surged forward, pinning Chelsea back within their own third. N’Doye shot high and wide when other opportunities were available, as did Santin as the clock ticked down. Chelsea brought on Michael Essien with six minutes remaining to block out any further FCK threat, while Thomas Kristensen replaced Christian Bolaños, but the Lions simply couldn’t penetrate the strong Blues defence.
The Copenhagen faithful maintained their chanting throughout the closing stages, and at the final whistle the atmosphere was really a home from home: ‘Forza FC’ ringing out around what could have been PARKEN stadium, had it not been for the empty blue seats. Although the 0-0 draw means Copenhagen are now out of the UEFA Champions League, Solbakken and his side can look back at a superb campaign that started back in Borisov last July.
CHELSEA: 0 FC COPENHAGEN: 0
Chelsea: Cech (GK), Ivanovic, Cole, Terry, Bosingwa, Ramires, Lampard, Mikel, Zhirkov, Drogba, Anelka.
FC Copenhagen: Wiland, Wendt, Zanka, Antonsson, Bengtsson, Bolaños, Claudemir, Kvist (C), Vingaard, Grønkjær, N'Doye.
Referee: Svein Oddvar Moen.
by Joe Short
With the absence of Zdenek Pospech through suspension, Oscar Wendt took up the right back role, leaving Pierre Bengtsson on his familiar left side. Mathias Zanka began at centre back with Mikael Antonsson, who proved his fitness after suffering a muscle strain at the weekend trip to Aalborg.
Regardless of Copenhagen’s attacking set up, one was always to assume Chelsea would be up for the fight from the start, and indeed they were. In the second minute Frank Lampard found the side netting from close range, before Ashley Cole hit the same spot shortly after. It was all Chelsea in the opening stages: a neat move directed by Didier Drogba set up Yuri Zhirkov, but the Russian also fired wide.
N’Doye agonisingly close
It took Copenhagen 20 minutes to find their rhythm, and soon they began passing around tidily at the back. Their patience almost paid off in emphatic style on 25 minutes, when N’Doye struck a free kick that looked destined for goal. Petr Cech was stranded, and could do nothing but watch as the ball slammed into his right-hand post and bounce back into play. The groan from the raucous FCK support flooded the stadium, as echoes of the Nou Camp reverberated in their memories. Back in October – as we all remember – N’Doye hit the crossbar, with the end result the same. Lady Luck was once again not on his side.
Although Copenhagen looked to push forward, they stuck to their manager’s pre-match oath of a strong defence. Wendt flew in to make a last-second tackle on Nicolas Anelka, two yards out from goal: while Jon Obi Mikel hit Johan Wiland’s crossbar with a header just after half time.Indeed, it appeared the half time team talk had spurred on FCK even more. Antonsson blocked a sure-fire goal again from Anelka, before the Frenchman shot low into Wiland’s arms. Meanwhile, N’Doye fired harmlessly at Cech at the other end, and then blazed wide on another counter attack.
With half an hour remaining Solbakken made a tactical substitution, replacing Bengtsson with Kenneth Zohore. The young striker moved immediately up front, as the Lions changed to a 4-3-3 formation, in search for the illusive breakthrough goal. However, it was another substitute – Fernando Torres – who had the first opportunity on goal, but Wiland did well to get down and block the goal-bound effort.
FCK go all-out for win
In the 75th minute Martin Vingaard went down under a fair challenge from Lampard, and couldn’t get up again. He was immediately taken off as a precaution, and on came César Santin. With four strikers on the pitch, FCK were really going for it now. Luckily it appears Vingaard’s injury – to his knee – is not too serious.
From the substitution Copenhagen surged forward, pinning Chelsea back within their own third. N’Doye shot high and wide when other opportunities were available, as did Santin as the clock ticked down. Chelsea brought on Michael Essien with six minutes remaining to block out any further FCK threat, while Thomas Kristensen replaced Christian Bolaños, but the Lions simply couldn’t penetrate the strong Blues defence.
The Copenhagen faithful maintained their chanting throughout the closing stages, and at the final whistle the atmosphere was really a home from home: ‘Forza FC’ ringing out around what could have been PARKEN stadium, had it not been for the empty blue seats. Although the 0-0 draw means Copenhagen are now out of the UEFA Champions League, Solbakken and his side can look back at a superb campaign that started back in Borisov last July.
CHELSEA: 0 FC COPENHAGEN: 0
Chelsea: Cech (GK), Ivanovic, Cole, Terry, Bosingwa, Ramires, Lampard, Mikel, Zhirkov, Drogba, Anelka.
FC Copenhagen: Wiland, Wendt, Zanka, Antonsson, Bengtsson, Bolaños, Claudemir, Kvist (C), Vingaard, Grønkjær, N'Doye.
Referee: Svein Oddvar Moen.
