Spartak take spoils in Spanish final
FC Copenhagen lost out in the final of the Copa del Sol on Tuesday night, Spartak Moscow emerging 1-0 victors in Spain.
The final of this year’s tournament was played at the Estadio Municipal Cartegenova in the city of Cartegena. Around 4,000 spectators provided the atmosphere for the clash between FCK and Spartak, both clubs of which had qualified through three games in the group stage.
There were nine new faces from the clash against Shakhtar Donetsk on Sunday, due to just 48 hours between the two matches. Youngster Yousseh Toutouh made a start on the wing, while Mustafa Abdellaoue played up front alongside Morten Nordstrand.
The first half was relatively quiet, with neither side looking to force an early lead unless it came easy. Pape Pate Diouf had possibly the best chance for FCK. Toutouh hit the Spartak byline and chipped over the men in the middle to Diouf who – ten yards out – scuffed a volley deep into the Spanish turf, the ball ballooning up and over the crossbar.
The Russians took the lead however in the 34th minute through what seemed an innocuous free kick. Argentine Nicolas Pareja took a punt from 30 yards out that crept low past Kim Christensen at his near post.
After the game Christensen explained what had happened:
- There was a striker in the way of my vision, and I wanted Christian Gamboa to push him a little, so I could see the ball. It didn’t happen, so I first saw the ball when it was over the wall, and it was too late.
Shortly after Diouf was played free on the left side of the box by Abdellaoue, but the Senegalese’s touch was too heavy, his chance lost as a Spartak defender cut across him to clear he danger.
The second half was more open, and it was the Russians who attacked first. On 57 minutes Emmanuel Emenike ran free of the FCK defence, but a neat Christensen save kept the Danish champions in the game.
N’Doye scuppers last-minute effort
Just after the hour mark Dame N’Doye entered the field for Abdellaoue, while Claudemir and César Santin had already joined the XI ten minutes earlier.
The substitutions resulted in a more direct game for FCK, and N’Doye could have rescued the tie with minutes to go. The striker received a cross from the wing, killed it on his right foot before thundering a strike towards goal. However, the shot narrowly swept over the bar.
N’Doye’s effort was to be the last of the game for Copenhagen, with Spartak running out 1-0 victors and taking the Copa del Sol trophy. Although beaten finalists, CV and his side will no doubt have felt the benefits of playing four games against top European competition ahead of the start of the spring Superliga season.
The squad head back to Denmark knowing their preparations for the rest of the campaign have gone well, and are now fully focussed on winning the Superliga and the DBU Cup.
Photos: FCK.dk
