FC Helsingør underlined today that they deserve a place in the top-6, as they completed a fine comeback in the dying minutes of the match at Tintshop Park.
The match was kicked off at a high pace and it had barely been five minutes before both teams had shown their teeth. First it was FC Helsingør who got into shooting range and let fly, but without much trouble for the Næstved keeper.
Then it was the opponents from Næstved who broke through. First on the right wing and then from the left wing. But even here it did not get truly dangerous.
Unfortunately, only a few minutes later Frederik Helstrup could not get the ball under control as the last man. This resulted in a ruthless exploitation by the Næstved attackers, who quickly tucked the ball in behind a helpless Mandé.
The goal really ignited the fighting spirit of both teams and therefore the referee had to hand out the first two cautions. One for each team.
The first quarter of the match ended in brilliant fashion by FC Helsingør’s Alexander Lyng. He broke through nicely out on the right and dribbled past a defender at the edge of the box. He then placed a decisive inside-foot finish, which crept narrowly past the post. Thankfully on the correct side for the score at 1-1
That was followed by a quiet quarter, before Callum McCowatt had to go to ground and then leave with an injury. He was replaced by Sterling Yateké.
The match continued at a somewhat lower gear toward halftime.
The second half started just as explosively as the first, but the finishes lacked the necessary quality.
62 minutes passed before the nets fluttered again. Unfortunately for FC Helsingør it was once again Dhaflaoui from Næstved, who with a thunderous finish beat Mandé.
2-1 to Næstved.
FC Helsingør then made a triple substitution, with Drost, Knudsen and Schoop coming on with fresh legs. A wise decision, as Oliver Drost soon ran free after Sterling Yateké had flicked on a header. He was brought down and thereby also denied a clear scoring chance. Hence a free kick on the edge of the box and a red card for Næstved’s Christian Enemark. Unfortunately Liam Jordan overhit the free kick and the ball went for a goal kick.
The red card meant, however, that FC Helsingør had a man advantage in the final 10 minutes of normal time and could therefore smell points.
A massive press created a chance in the 89th minute for defender Nicolai Geertsen, who smashed the ball into the netting for 2-2.
Helsingør could now taste victory and all efforts were therefore put into the hunt for 3 points.
Several chances went wide or into the keeper’s gloves and time was eventually running out for the blue-and-white striped side.
But then Sterling Yateké suddenly appeared at the back post and got to a loose ball first. A hard shot, with no other fate than to end up in the goal, was sent off and the comeback was therefore complete.
FC Helsingør therefore take all 3 points home and create a little breathing room between top-6 and the remaining teams.
