FC Helsingør played a fine match in Randers, but still ended up as losers of the first playoff round after a 2-1 defeat that followed Sunday’s 1-1 match in Helsingør.
The weather was perfect for football in Randers, with bright sun and plenty of people in the stands, among them a larger group that had made the long trip from Helsingør.
It was FC Helsingør who kicked off, and immediately won a corner from the build-up. TK went to the ball and delivered a fine corner into the box, where Nicolas Mortensen at the far post headed toward goal, but unfortunately just past the post. First shot within 45 seconds of play, and a good start by the Helsingør side.
Randers then applied a bit more pressure over the next five minutes, and had a couple of decent crosses into the Helsingør box, but there was nobody there to receive them.
After eight minutes of play Tobias “Toby” Christensen won the ball in front of goal, laid it off to Nicolas Mortensen, who found Douglas, who played it back out to Toby on the right flank, and he delivered a really fine first-time cross into the box, but goalkeeper Halldorsson got to the ball first and closed down the chance.
After 14 minutes of play Saba Lobzhanidze and Bashkim Kadrii dribbled cleverly through on the left side, and forced a corner. Saba took it himself, and his crafty effort was heading for the far corner, but fortunately hit the side netting. Close to the home side catching FCH napping.
A period of stalemate in midfield followed, with no major clear-cut chances. We therefore had to wait until the 24th minute before the home side bit again. Marxen found Saba with a through ball, and the dangerous winger got quickly into the box, but his finish went straight into Mikkel Bruhn’s arms.
Shortly after, it was FC Helsingør who had a shot. Douglas played a ball down to Nicolas Mortensen, who with a neat first touch turned in the box and finished in the same movement, but Halldorsson got a glove to it and turned the shot away from goal.
The next ten minutes saw the ball more on the ground, and both teams tried more established play, but both defenses stood well and solidly, and neither team created open chances. FC Helsingør’s midfield showed fine examples of their technical skills, and especially Patrick Olsen was good at finding his teammates. But as said, it was more than ordinarily difficult to find gaps in the compact defensive lines.
Just before the halftime whistle, Randers managed to find a hole in the armor. Bashkim Kadrii drove the ball up through the middle and shot from just outside the box, but Mikkel Bruhn made a sharp save to keep out the crafty effort. A big chance for the home side to take into halftime.
The second half started with a free kick outside the box for each team. First Bashkim Kadrii fired into the FCH wall, and could not direct the rebound to a teammate, and just a few minutes later Patrick Olsen did exactly the same at the other end.
When the stadium clock reached 50 minutes, it was no longer working for the visitors from Helsingør. FCH went for a long throw-in. The ball was cleared out of the Randers box, and fell to Bashkim Kadrii. The loan player from FC Copenhagen sprinted full tilt toward the Helsingør goal, covered only by Patrick Olsen. Kadrii managed to square it to an onrushing Saba Lobzhanidze, who struck hard and accurately, and placed the ball right by the post.
1-0 Randers FC
Five minutes later FC Helsingør won a corner. It was taken to the far post, where a large cluster of players were battling for the ball, and the ball was kicked directly at Halldorsson. Great chance, and a warning of what would happen a few minutes later.
Another corner for FC Helsingør. TK played the ball into the middle of the box, where it was headed on by goalkeeper Halldorsson, who could not hold on to the ball. By the far post stood Douglas, who in a hard battle with a Randers defender, got his large body turned around and got his foot to an acrobatic finish. The ball went in a beautiful arc over the goalkeeper and into the goal.
1-1 FC Helsingør
The goal really ignited the home side. First it was incredibly close that Mikkel Kallesøe could have scored after excellent work from Kadrii, who drove the ball forward and squared it, but Kallesøe’s shot hit the crossbar in a situation where it was almost harder to miss than to score.
The minute after, the Randers attack corrected for the missed chance. After a dead ball into the box, Mølvadgaard headed the ball on, and a completely free Saba Lobzhanidze could hammer the ball in from close range.
2-1 Randers FC
After 69 minutes FCH won a throw-in. TK threw long, and the ball ended up with Matheus. He cut across the box and laid the ball back to TK. He shot first time from the edge of the box, but Halldorsson had seen it coming and saved the midfielder’s shot.
The lead goal made Randers sit deeper and lurk for a counterattack that could close out the match. The next ten minutes were marked by fight and close battles in the middle, where both teams went hard in the tackles, but where there was again a long way between the established build-ups.
After 81 minutes, however, FCH came to another chance. A long throw-in from TK was thrown into the box. Randers cleared the ball out to Patrick Olsen, who found Søren Henriksen on the right side of the pitch. He delivered a fine cross, but Halldorsson just managed to get in front of Nicolas Mortensen, who was otherwise on his way to the ball. Good chance, but also good goalkeeping by Randers.
Five minutes later, Martin Fisch was close to getting on the scoresheet. A ball was sent into a crowded Randers box. Daniel Jørgensen bulldozed his way through, and the ball fell somewhat fortuitously to Fisch, who hit it first time, but Halldorsson saved again.
After 88 minutes the substitute Tontini was even closer. In the final minutes the ball was repeatedly pumped forward into the Randers box, and after a bit of heading ping-pong it ended up at Tontini’s feet, who shot first time, but again the shot was blocked, and neither could Daniel Jørgensen, who had been up top in the final ten minutes, put the ball in the net on the rebound
In stoppage time Helsingør pressed aggressively, but could not break the deadlock despite all their hard work. Nearly five minutes were added on, but it never became truly dangerous, and so the Randers players could celebrate winning the first round of the playoff.
The Helsingør players, on the other hand, had to head to the dressing room knowing that the next round against the loser of Silkeborg-Lyngby is winner-takes-all. If FCH win, the club gets a chance against a first-division side. If they lose on aggregate in the next two, it means direct relegation. The continuation follows already on Thursday.
FC Helsingør: Bruhn, Jørgensen, S. Henriksen, Gregor, Fisch, Matheus, Köhler, P. Olsen, Christensen, Douglas, Mortensen.
Substituted: Tontini, Bay
Referee: Peter Kjærsgaard
