4-0 win maintains FCK winning streak
After sitting out of F.C. Copenhagen’s 1-1 draw with Barcelona in midweek, in-form striker Cesar Santin was handed a starting role up front, having recovered from an ankle sprain picked up a fortnight ago. Santin replaced Jesper Grønkjær in the only change to the starting XI that claimed that critical point at PARKEN five days ago.
by Joe Short
As with the match between these two sides in the Ekstra Bladet Cup two weeks ago, the game began at a slow pace; both sides seemed happy to play the ball around without any real attacking commitment. Zdenek Pospech blocked a shot in the second minute, while Claudemir attempted a forward run; but it was not until eight minutes that a shot threatened either goalmouth.
And what a dangerous threat it turned out to be. Santin gladly accepted the opportunity to bag his 11th goal of the season with a quick stab past goalkeeper Søren Jochumsen from eight yards out to give the Lions a 1-0 lead. Claudemir looked to have pulled a muscle, and slowly walked off the pitch after the goal, but was thankfully OK to continue shortly after the restart.
Sharp counter doubles FCK lead
On 11 minutes only a sliding challenge from Lasse Kryger prevented Martin Vingaard crossing from deep, while Gilberto Macena directed a teasing cross towards goal, but his effort found only the side netting. On 14 minutes FCK made it 2-0, thanks to a patient counter attack by Santin. The Brazilian picked up a loose ball on the left wing and attacked the Horsens byline. The striker cut his cross back to the edge of the area where Christian Bolaños – with his back to goal – laid off to Vingaard. The winger’s right-footed effort was low and true, finding the back of Jochumsen’s net to give Copenhagen some breathing space.
The second goal did not dampen the away side’s spirits however, who could arguably have halved the deficit on 19 minutes. Macena found himself unmarked in the FCK penalty area after Mathias Zanka had lost possession; but he dragged his shot wide of Johan Wiland’s goal from six yards out. In return Vingaard tried his luck again a minute later; this time his shot ballooned high over the crossbar.
What followed were various passages of intense Lions pressure without any major penetration as the Horsens midfield held strong in front of their defence. Indeed, it was Horsens who created the better opportunities in the spell, with Wiland and Mikael Antonsson both coming to the FCK rescue, preventing dangerous efforts from finding their target.
Pospech rains down on Horsens goal
Zdenek Pospech appeared to have been given a license to shoot on sight, as he twice fired efforts towards Jochumsen’s goal. The first, in the 33rd minute, came after Dame N’Doye collected a high ball in the centre of the park; Pospech’s eventual shot was deflected over. The Czech’s second chance looked destined to find the bottom left hand corner. As is usual for the right back, he progressed past the midfield and shot low at goal, the replay on the PARKEN big screens showing just how close it was to finding that inside far post.
The second half began as slowly as the first, with Horsens appearing to drop to a 4-5-1 formation when not in possession. Morten Rasmussen should arguably have scored in the 50th minute, but the defender knocked his free header wide of the goal from five yards out; while at the other end Vingaard again tried to replicate his earlier goal, but once more saw his shot rise high into the crowd behind.
A lapse in concentration by Pospech let Macena through on 56 minutes, but Antonsson was quick to track back and intercept the striker’s cross-box pass. Five minutes later and it was substitute Jesper Grønkjær’s turn to play defender: deflecting a Rasmussen effort wide for a Horsens corner. The away side were looking dangerous as their defence pushed higher and higher up the pitch when in possession.
Bolaños inspires a third
Indeed, a free kick for the Jutland club almost produced a goal; Martin Spelmann flicked on to Kryger, but his volley on the turn span wide away from danger. And yet – as is often the case in football – it was FCK who scored on their next attack to make it 3-0. After some patient build up, Bolaños found himself facing goal on the edge of the area: three Horsens players surrounding him. The Costa Rican dipped a shoulder and made space to his left, enough to shoot left footed low off the post to add a third for the Lions.
Very little in the way of goalmouth action was generated after the goal, as FCK appeared happy to see out the game. Successive shots from Martin Retov flew over the crossbar, as did a close effort from Rasmussen. There was a nervy passage of pinball in front of the FCK penalty area on 85 minutes, but Grønkjær eventually cleared, while a minute later Issey Nakajima-Farran sliced a volley over the woodwork.
Zanka shows predator’s instinct
With the game seemingly ebbing away, there was one last chance for the PARKEN faithful to warm their feet and vocal chords in the final minute of normal time. Bolaños provided a scintillating cross deep into the Horsens box from the left wing, which was met by Andreas Augustsson. However, the defender’s header fell flat to Zanka on the penalty spot, who lashed home left footed to secure a 4-0 victory for F.C. Copenhagen.
The win was FCK’s seventh on the bounce in the Superliga, a feat that broke the Danish football league record for most points recorded after 15 games of the season: a comparative benchmark to reason the progression of a club in this still early stage of the season. The Lions now have a week’s rest for the first time since the start of October: no doubt a welcome respite for coach Ståle Solbakken and his squad.
F.C. COPENHAGEN: 4 AC HORSENS: 0
FC Copenhagen: Wiland, Pospech, Zanka, Antonsson, Wendt, Bolaños, Claudemir, Kvist (C), Vingaard, Santin, N'Doye.
AC Horsens: Jochumsen (GK), Nøhr, Rasmussen, Macena, Spelmann, Kortegaard, Retov, Kryger, Mayasi, Agesen, Augustsson (C).
Referee: Emil Laursen
Goals: Santin (8’), Vingaard (14’), Bolaños (71’), Zanka (89’).