Season ends with 1-1 draw
by Joe Short
The Danish champions took the lead late in the first half when Igor Vetokele burst free of his marker and drove a low shot into the bottom corner from distance. SønderjyskE replied just after half time and although FCK sought a winner it wasn’t to be as Ariel Jacobs capped his first season in Denmark with a 65-point haul.
Vetokele earned a start alongside César Santin up front while head coach Ariel Jacobs placed Daniel Jensen in the centre of midfield with Claudemir. A familiar back four that has been roughly unchanged all season started once again and Johan Wiland kept his place in the FCK goal.
Superliga top scorer Andreas Cornelius, who netted 18 goals in his debut season in professional football, was suspended for the game but picked up the golden boot award in front of a full PARKEN crowd.
Open start but no goals
FCK were the first to threaten in the opening stages as first Claudemir and then Santin came close with effort from range, the latter breaking free of his man but sliding his shot narrowly wide.
Twelve minutes in and SønderjyskE’s first threat came on the counter attack but Tommy Bechmann’s low cross missed two men in the box. A minute later the inflatables came out in for PARKEN’s annual final-day ritual and while all eyes were turned to the crowd Bjørn Paulsen almost gave SønderjyskE the lead but his header scraped the top of the crossbar.
Moments later and only a determined Ragnar Sigurdsson block prevented the away side, who were enjoying some good pressure, from scoring the opener. Nicolai Jørgensen came close to replying with a fierce effort after cutting in from the left flank but SønderjyskE remained the more dangerous on the break – hitting the post on 28 minutes.
Vetokele finds the net
The breakthrough finally came in emphatic fashion on 37 minutes. Vetokele, who had had a quiet start to the game, suddenly came to life and cut inside onto his right foot before firing a low effort into the bottom-left corner from 20 yards out.
Moments before half time Vetokele thought he’d won a penalty off Hallgrimur Jonasson’s late challenge but the referee waved play on and second later Wiland was called to the rescue to block and clear Lasse Vibe’s one-on-one effort.
Six minutes into the second half and SønderjyskE’s threat finally resulted in a goal. Henrik Hansen crossed an inswinging free-kick into a dangerous area and Niels Lodberg went in unmarked as he glanced the ball past Wiland to make it 1-1.
Claudemir earns two quick yellows
The away side sat back after their equaliser but still controlled the centre of the park as FCK struggled to penetrate forward. SønderjyskE continued to play an effective counter-attacking game and on 65 minutes Claudemir was finally caught out one time too many – the Brazilian midfielder sent off via two yellow cards within five minutes for breaking down successive counters.
Ariel wasted little time restructuring the team and Thomas Delaney entered the field for Santin. Daniel Jensen shot wide from distance on 74 minutes as Christian Bolaños beat his man before laying off for the midfielder, while Lars Jacobsen planted a couple of crosses into the SønderjyskE box but to no avail.
The remaining 10 minutes saw both sides go forward searching for a winner but neither could penetrate solid back lines that were determined to see out the season without a final defeat. The draw means FCK finish on 65 points this season – one less than last year – and qualify for the group stage of the UEFA Champions League.
FC COPENHAGEN: 1 SØNDERJYSKE: 1
FC Copenhagen: Wiland, Jacobsen (C), Stadsgaard, Sigurdsson, Bengtsson, Bolaños, Claudemir, Jensen, Jørgensen, Santin, Vetokele.
SønderjyskE: Skender, Paulsen, Lodberg, Jonasson, Hart, Hansen, Madsen, Christensen, Vibe, Bechmann, Oggesen.
Goals: Vetokele (37’), Lodberg, SøE (52’).
Red Cards: Claudemir (65’).
Referee: Claus Bo Larson.
