FC Helsingør fought with all its might, but with two late Lyngby goals and a draw in the match between Fredericia and Hvidovre, it became clear in the final round that the last match at the old Helsingør Stadion was also the last match in the NordicBet Liga for FC Helsingør for now.
There were 3089 spectators in place for the match, and both fan sections were filled with celebratory fans who had two very different starting points for the match. Lyngby had to win, and hope that Viborg beat Fremad Amager, then they could reach the promotion playoff. FC Helsingør had to win, and hope that Fredericia beat Hvidovre, then they would survive in the NordicBet Liga.
FC Helsingør started the match best. The FCH players swarmed around the Lyngby box, but the visitors stood well in their lines, and there were no clear chances for either side in the first ten minutes of the match.
After 19 minutes Lyngby won a corner. In front of goal, Martin Ørnskov was close to reaching the ball, but Mikkel Bruhn came up between friend and foe and tipped the ball away.
The minute after, Helsingør were on the counter. Frederik Bay cut into the box and tried to deliver the cross. A Lyngby player had his hands a little too far forward and stopped the ball. The referee immediately blew for a penalty, and an entire stadium held its breath. Patrick Olsen stepped up to the ball, and this time it worked for FCH! Patrick coolly put the ball past Thomas Mikkelsen, and the stadium erupted in joy.
1-0 FC Helsingør
Two minutes after the goal, it was Lyngby's turn to break forward on the counter. Jesper Christjansen got past his man and tried to place it in the far corner with a clever finish. The ball got past Mikkel Bruhn, but right on the line Jonas Henriksen got there and cleared the ball off the goal line. Great chance for Lyngby.
Shortly after, Nicolas Mortensen had a good long-range effort when he got the ball just outside the box on the left side. He struck it, but on the line Thomas Mikkelsen managed to tip the dangerous shot over.
After 28 minutes of play, it was even closer for Lyngby. After a Helsingør corner, the ball was sent out of the box and dropped down to the lightning-fast Jeppe Kjær, who was just on the right side of the halfway line. He set off at full speed and was all alone with Mikkel Bruhn. The FCH goalkeeper got to his feet and blocked Kjær's finish, and then the Lyngby striker could not make use of his 1-against-1 before the FCH defense got back in position. Huge chance for Lyngby, and a huge save by Bruhn.
After 41 minutes Lyngby had a good opportunity. After some swarming around outside the Helsingør box, a good cross found Jesper Christjansen, who headed first time from about a meter inside the box. Luckily for Helsingør, the ball just sailed over the crossbar.
A minute later Matheus carried the ball up along the left touchline. He got past his marker, who slipped, and found Nicolas Mortensen with a good through ball. Nicolas Mortensen was pressured by a defender and moved out to the right side of the box, where Thomas Mikkelsen could narrow the angle and block Mortensen's shot. Fine counterattacking play that was close to becoming very dangerous.
Right before halftime Lyngby won a corner, but it never became dangerous, and Helsingør could go into the break with a narrow 1-0 lead.
The second half started like the first. Both teams seemed affected by the importance of the match, and there were many unforced errors from both sides.
Ten minutes into the half Lyngby had the first chance of the half. The former FCH player Adnan Mohammad got past his man and cut into the box. He laid the ball across, and right in front of goal Jesper Christjansen was very, very close to being able to score, but Pascal Gregor at the last moment managed to disturb the attacker enough for his shot to go over the goal.
It was Lyngby who were pushing for a goal in this phase of the match, but both teams struggled to keep possession, and at both ends defenders got in the way every time the ball came near the box.
After 70 minutes Lyngby won a somewhat soft free kick five meters outside the box. The many Lyngby supporters behind the goal turned up the singing, but the free kick floated harmlessly into the arms of Mikkel Bruhn.
Shortly after, it was Helsingør's turn to win a free kick almost exactly the same place, only at the other end, when Jeppe Kjær brought down an FCH player just outside the box. Patrick Olsen took the kick, but the wall blocked it. On the rebound, Collen Warner was close to scoring, but his high-raised leg instead hit Thomas Mikkelsen, who came storming out of his goal, and FC Helsingør had to settle for Warner picking up a yellow card in the incident.
Lyngby pressed and pressed, and in the 83th minute they unfortunately made something out of the many balls that were played forward. Nicolai Geertsen got highest to a cross into the box and headed the ball past Mikkel Bruhn from close range.
1-1 Lyngby BK
Three minutes from time Jonas Henriksen was close to getting on the scoresheet. Patrick Olsen took a shot, and on the rebound Henriksen got his head to it, but Mikkelsen saved.
In stoppage time Geersen rose highest in the box again and headed the ball into the far corner from a good distance out, while the FCH players were caught off balance.
1-2 Lyngby BK
In stoppage time FC Helsingør pushed on, but apart from the second yellow card to Collen Warner, which gave him a red card, it was in vain.
At the same time the draw from the Fredericia match came in and confirmed the writing on the wall for FC Helsingør, who were thus certain of relegation to the Second Division.
FCH: Bruhn, Gregor, Holm, Jørgensen (64' Douglas), Henriksen, Warner, Bay, Olsen, Køhler ('86 Holst), Mortensen (90' Basse), Matheus
Referee: Jakob Sundberg.
Photo: Claus Birch, clausbirch.dk
