FCK Weekly News: 1st – 7th November
All eyes were on PARKEN this week as F.C. Copenhagen geared up for their fourth UEFA Champions League clash. On Tuesday it was FC Barcelona’s turn to try their hand at the home of the Danish champions, with both sides knowing three points would put the victor top of Group D.
by Joe Short
The excitement in the PARKEN pressroom on Monday reflected the importance of the game ahead. Journalists from across Europe flocked to the stadium in anticipation of head coach Ståle Solbakken’s predictions for the match ahead:
- They are number one, we are number two, Solbakken began. - The good thing is we will still be in the top two of the group at eleven o’clock tomorrow night. This is a good thing, as we can gamble a little bit. You have to do that to get a good result. We have never lost a Champions League game at home. We are proud of this statistic, and maintaining it tomorrow will be out greatest achievement.
FCK striker Dame N’Doye was also around to provide his opinion on the atmosphere soon to greet the teams the following evening:
- This is our home, and we are strong at home. You make sure you do everything not to lose the game. We have a job to do tomorrow, so we need to stay focused.
Claudemir on fire to scare Barcelona
The game itself was a lively affair, and N’Doye was not proved wrong about the importance of home advantage. A sold-out PARKEN greeted both sides upon arrival, setting a noise level that would only increase as the match progressed.
It was FCK who were first to threaten the away goal after just two minutes, when Claudemir ran on to a lose ball to rocket a strike off the corner of the woodwork. With the pace still high, N’Doye got the better of Carlos Puyol but was poleaxed by goalkeeper Victor Valdés on the turn. The striker needed a few minutes to recover from what first looked like a very serious injury, yet was able to continue after treatment off the field.
Martin Vingaard almost caught Valdés off his line with two inswinging corners on 16 minutes, while at the other end Johan Wiland stretched just enough to tip a David Villa shot onto the post. Barcelona were looking strong however, and after a period of possession took a 1-0 lead just after the half hour. Lionel Messi was first to pounce onto a lose ball in the box to prod in for the away side.
PARKEN would not be silenced however, and less than a minute later got the reward for their faith. Jesper Grønkjær tricked his way to the Barcelona byline before chipping a cross into the box. Valdés spilled the ball, which lofted over to the back post where Claudemir volleyed in superbly to make it 1-1.
1-1 a fair result
The equaliser gave added spur to the Lions, who attacked at regular intervals in the second half. With 20 minutes to go a variety of half chances could have sealed a famous 2-1 victory, and yet Pedro’s shot in the final seconds of stoppage time almost silenced the crowd, but it cannoned off Wiland’s left hand post and eventually fell into the grateful goalkeeper’s hands.
After the game, Solbakken showed no restriction of his pleasure of holding one of Europe’s top sides to the draw:
- It was a very impressive performance by us. We met the best team in the world. We played even with them for long periods, and were better than them for short periods. All in all I couldn’t be prouder. We could have lost tonight, but we could also have won.
The Lions manager was then asked for his views over FCK’s position in Group D: one point behind Barcelona and four ahead of third-placed Rubin Kazan:
- We are now in a good position (in the group), but the next game will be as difficult as this one. They (Kazan) don’t let in goals, and so this will be a difficult game for us. We are not there yet. With the same kind of performance, hopefully we can take points in both remaining game
Vingaard: - The atmosphere in PARKEN was electric
In Thursday’s edition of Lion Hour, Martin Vingaard gave his verdict of the game two nights ago:
- It was a very special experience to play against such a good team like Barcelona and the atmosphere in PARKEN was electric, which we felt during the warm up. We got off to a good start in the match and managed to push them quite high, while slowing the pace down a little: because if it starts to get too fast as it did in much of the first half at Camp Nou, we would have had problems against such a team.
- But I thought, especially in light of the second half, the 1-1 draw was a deserved result. Now we look forward to the fight against Horsens, for it is by winning the league that we get games like those against Barcelona: as it is probably not so realistic that we can win the Champions League. We look forward to the match and we look forward to playing in PARKEN – we always do.
Director of Sports Carsten V. Jensen was also full of praise for FCK’s resilient display in midweek, while reserving special attention for the upcoming Superliga match against AC Horsens on Sunday:
- Tuesday, 2nd of November 2010 will forever have a special place in FCK's history books. The performance, 1-1 against one of the world's best club teams FC Barcelona, was nothing less than outstanding. We played straight with more than half of the team that last summer made Spain world champions, along with a little Messi and Alves.
- In front of us we now have two 'finals', against FC Rubin Kazan and Panathinaikos FC, with good opportunities to play further in the UEFA Champions League after the winter break.
- But before these two finals we have a series of matches in the Super League, where the game against AC Horsens on Sunday rounds off a hectic home program for us. There has been four games at home in twelve days, and the second time in those four games we will collide with AC Horsens. The first tie ended 4-2 to the 'yellow danger', and this was our first defeat against a Danish team this season. The word revenge is obviously something we will go after.
Superliga winning streak continues
And indeed it was, as FCK beat Horsens 4-0 in an impressive controlled display at PARKEN on Sunday evening. After a very slow start to the game, Copenhagen took a surprise lead when Cesar Santin stabbed in his 11th goal of the season from seven yards out. On 14 minutes FCK doubled their lead, when a counter attack spearheaded by Santin gave Christian Bolaños space to turn and lay off for Vingaard, whose right footed effort kept low to deceive Søren Jochumsen in goal to make it 2-0 to the home side.
Various opportunities came and went for both sides as the half progressed: most notable of all a Gilberto Macena effort that narrowly traveled past Wiland’s right hand post, while Zdenek Pospech tried twice to break the Horsens defence, but to no avail.
In the second half substitute Jesper Grønkjær proved the difference between the teams, as he began to command the left wing. Bolaños got a deserved goal and FCK’s third with 19 minutes to go – cutting left on the edge of the area before shooting low in off the post. Mathias Zanka even got on the score sheet in the last minute of the match as he lashed in a lose ball from eight yards out.
Kvist: - We were effective in front of goal
In light of the amount of matches played in quick succession recently, captain William Kvist spoke of his delight in his team scoring early on:
- We got a good start and quickly went ahead 2-0. It kills a little of the charm of the match; but in respect to our fixture schedule lately, it's OK that we ran on cruise control for parts of the game. We were effective in front of goal, and it may well be that we can thank our participation in the Champions League for this performance.
Vingaard was also aware of the slow tempo to the game, but was positive about the overall result:
- After we got to 2-0, then we probably slightly slowed, and AC Horsens got back into the game. A goal for them could have changed the match, but it did not come. We played high from the start; we played with great pressure throughout the game, had many aggressive passages and also had the good counter-attacks FC Copenhagen is known for.
With the result came the news that Brøndby IF and FC Midtjylland had drawn 2-2 at Vilfort Park, meaning the Lions extended their lead at the top of the Danish Superliga from fourteen to 16 points. What lays in store for the FCK boys is a weeks rest from European or domestic Cup games: a chance to recharge some much-needed batteries before the Christmas run-in starting with a tie at SønderjyskE next Sunday.
