A very quiet day at the office

13/05 2007 23:40

Neither team had anything at stake, and without overstraining themselves the champions won 1-0 when Ailton benefited from a blunder by the Randers-keeper.

Four days after celebrating yet another championship – the fifth in seven years – Copenhagen took the opportunity to relax a bit after the intense program they had been through this spring. Ståle Solbakken rested several key players before Thursday’s Cup final against OB Odense, and the chosen eleven did not run and work more than necessary.

But it was enough against a Randers-team stranded in the middle of the table, who never looked like they believed they could come away with a point or three from PARKEN. With a bit more courage and offensive approach they might, even though it was obvious that Copenhagen still had at least another gear if necessary.

The first half was acceptable, and Copenhagen should have taken the lead when Michael Gravgaard headed the ball into the net after a cornerkick. Randers-keeper Martin S. Jensen simply stumbled over his own feet on his way out in the area, but referee Henrik Kragh thought the keeper had been tripped by Fredrik Berglund and disallowed the goal. What he didn’t see was that a Randers-defender nearly ripped off Brede Hangelands shirt during the corner kick-situation…

Hangeland was placed in central midfield today instead of the banned Tobias Linderoth, giving place to Dan Thomassen in central defence with Gravgaard. Thomassen is leaving Copenhagen this summer for Oslo-based Vålerenga from the Norwegian Tippeliga, and he proved again today that he would be a certain starter in any other team in Denmark, if not in the whole of Scandinavia. But the competition in Copenhagen is very strong and fierce and that is of course one of the “secrets” behind their superiority this season.

Dan Thomassen - eye on the ball

After 28 minutes Ailton Almeida chased a long ball from Lars Jacobsen into the Randers-area, and Martin S. Jensen completely mistimed his interception, and the Brazilian could easily flick the ball in the empty goal with his head.

And that was it… after the break, neither side offered much in the way of an attacking threat, and to be frank it was not very entertaining to watch. Youngster Mads Laudrup received great ovations when he was introduced during the second half for his first appearance in PARKEN since he made his senior debut in the last minutes of a game in Horsens in March. Morten Bertolt came on and made his season-debut in the SAS League, and in the last minutes striker Lasse Qvist – currently topscorer in the 2. division for the Copenhagen reserve team – made his senior debut.

There will almost certainly be a lot more action and entertainment on Thursday, when Copenhagen and OB Odense meet in the Cup final in PARKEN!

Flowers from chairman Flemming Østergaard to Jesper Christiansen for his game no. 100 for FCK

All photos by Carl Redhead

Matchfacts:
F.C. COPENHAGEN-RANDERS FC 1-0 (1-0)
28.: 1- 0 Ailton Almeida
Attendance: 20.194

F.C. Copenhagen: Jesper Christiansen – Lars Jacobsen, Michael Gravgaard, Dan Thomassen, Oscar Wendt – Michael Silberbauer, Brede Hangeland, Hjalte Nørregaard (65.: Mads Laudrup), William Kvist – Fredrik Berglund (72.: Morten Bertolt), Ailton Almeida (89.: Lasse Qvist). (Un-used substitutes: Jeppe Brandrup, Benny Gall)