Sixth league-win in a row
Without playing to their best, F.C. Copenhagen defeated AC Horsens 3-1 and maintained their 13 point lead over the nearest rivals from FC Midtjylland.
Prior to kick-off, Jesper Christiansen received The Golden Goal-award from Danish soccer magazine TIPS Bladet, meaning that his keeper-colleagues in the SAS League and the first Division had re-elected him as Danish goalkeeper of the year.
Keeper-of-the-year-Christiansen with The Golden Goal-award
Just to ensure that he had time enough to enjoy the award, his team-mates totally dominated the opening of the game and kept the ball on AC Horsens’ half of the pitch for most of the time. Gravgaard and Ailton had a couple of good efforts, but it took a penalty-decision – and we have to admit it was a rather dubious one - by referee Emil Laursen in the 13th minute to break the Horsens defence-wall, when Ailton tripped over a Horsens-defender in the penalty area. But Hjalte Nørregaard showed no mercy and put the champions ahead.
In spite of massive dominance, the party never really began in PARKEN. And there wasn’t more help to get from the ref, when he paid Horsens back after 26 minutes by ignoring that a defender clearly handled the ball in the area to stop a Grønkjær-cross. Horsens concentrated on the defensive work and hardly ever produced a counter-attack, while the home team perhaps felt a bit too comfortable after the early lead.
Hjalte Nørregaard - perfect balance, perfect penalty
And 8 minutes into the second half they were punished, when Horsens’ Brazilian topscorer Gilberto Macena suddenly was completely through with Jesper Christiansen, who dived to his feet and missed the ball, but not the man. Penalty – and the ref thought it could do with a yellow card, as Macena had lost the ball over the goalline. Henrik Hansen scored, though Christiansen dived to the right side. Which actually was his left…
Obviously not a deserved equalizer, and, to the relief of the huge home crowd, justice was restored 7 minutes later. Grønkjær had space and time in the left side to lay the ball into the area, where Allbäck flicked it on and Ailton headed the ball up in the corner from close range.
AC Horsens didn't surrende and showed more courage than in the first half, but they never produced any real threats to the solid defence. Copenhagen always looked like a winning team and should have eliminated the risk of another equalizer long before stoppage time. Then, finally, they put the seal on the victory, when William Kvist received the ball from Atiba Hutchinson on the edge of the area and neatly placed it close to the post – which amazingly still was there after just being hit by a thunderous effort from 25 meters from the non-stop-running Michael Silberbauer.
Promising youngster William Kvist got his second league goal of the season
After six league-wins in a row, Copenhagen are 13 points ahead, and with eight rounds to go you don’t find a lot of persecution mania among the fans... and there is still the chance of The Double, as Copenhagen visit Lyngby - top of the 1st Division - on Wednesday night for the first of two semifinals in the Danish Cup.
All photos by http://www.redheadinc.net
Matchfacts:
F.C. COPENHAGEN-AC HORSENS 3-1 (1-0)
14.: 1-0 Hjalte Nørregaard, pen.
49.: 1-1 Henrik Hansen, pen.
53.: 2-s Ailton Almeida
90.: 3-1 William Kvist
Attendance: 22.056
F.C. Copenhagen: Jesper Christiansen – Lars Jacobsen, Brede Hangeland, Michael Gravgaard, Niclas Jensen – Atiba Hutchinson, Hjalte Nørregaard, Michael Silberbauer, Jesper Grønkjær (87.: Dan Thomassen) – Ailton Almeida (73.: Fredrik Berglund), Marcus Allbäck (68.: Wililam Kvist). (Un-used substitutes: Oscar Wendt, Benny Gall).
Booking: Jesper Christiansen and Brede Hangeland
