It ended in a 4-1 defeat when FC Helsingør's reserves met Saudi Arabia's U21 national team in a training match on Wednesday afternoon, where the visitors showed a high technical level, and FCH had trouble getting the build-up play to hang together against the robust Saudis.
In the first half, it was otherwise FC Helsingør who were in control for most of the time, and the Saudis had almost no chances in the first 45 minutes.
The Saudis fielded a high defensive line, and their tactic was clearly to put pressure on the FCH ball carrier as quickly as possible, and they in turn succeeded well at that. FC Helsingør had trouble getting the play to flow, and seemed a little stressed by the high press. There were scattered attempts at chances for FCH, and the biggest came after just around 20 minutes, when Lucas Lodberg was brought down in the Saudi penalty area. Lodberg took the penalty himself, but the Saudis' goalkeeper read his shot and saved it.
FC Helsingør had an American trialist with them, Foster Langsdorf, and he started alongside compatriot Chris Cortez. They each had a good chance after the half-hour mark, when Cortez first headed over the goal from a well-delivered corner kick by Eli Just, and Lando a minute later sent the ball past the far post after a good cross from the right side.
Neither team played their way to major chances for the rest of the half, and FC Helsingør went into the break with a feeling that if one could turn up the quality by 10-15%, one would have good chances of winning the match.
However, that was not how it turned out. It was the Saudi national team that came out best in the second half, and after a few minutes FCH got the first warning when a long-range shot deceived both defender and goalkeeper Monty, but fortunately for the Helsingør side it hit the post.
But five minutes later there was no more. The Saudis proved really good technically and on the ball, and one of their attackers took matters into his own hands. He cut into the box, dribbled past his marker, and sent the ball low in toward Christoffer Monty. Monty made the initial save, but could not prevent the Saudi attacker from getting to the rebound first and pushing the ball under the FCH goalkeeper for the lead.
1-0 Saudi Arabia
A few minutes later it also became 2-0, as the Saudis once again dribbled their way into the box, this time from the left side, where the ball was struck hard and accurately into the far corner from a position just inside the line, with no chance for Monty in goal.
2-0 Saudi Arabia
The two goals sparked FCH up a little, and in the next minutes they had a couple of respectable chances for substitute Alexander Holst, who sent a shot into the side netting, as well as Carl Lange and Lucas Lodberg, who both shot from outside the box after rebounds from a corner kick. But the ball would not go in, and the Saudis were able to block both shots in the area.
After just 70 minutes, however, FCH managed to pull one back. A cross was sent in from the right side, and centrally Lodberg was ready to finish first time, and he sent a precise shot in behind the Saudi goalkeeper.
2-1 FC Helsingør
But after just under five minutes, the Saudis effectively closed out the match. A ball was sent in from the right, passed two players centrally, and ended up with one of the players in green, who was standing very alone in the box. He sent a hard shot into the far corner, and then the cheers could break out among the young Saudis.
3-1 Saudi Arabia
FC Helsingør got a golden opportunity to reduce the deficit when Lucas Lodberg was brought down once again shortly after. He had taken a touch into the box from his right side, and was fouled on the wrong side of the line with a too-hard body tackle. This time it was Ricki Olsen who took responsibility for the penalty. The experienced fullback tried to feint the opposing goalkeeper, but he did not fall for the trick and saved Ricki's attempt.
Instead it was Saudi Arabia who added more, when just before normal time ran out they scored to make it 4-1. A neat combination on a corner kick ended with a Saudi standing a little too free, and he could head the ball in between the hands of substitute Frederik Rej-Rosenqvist, who could not get there in time to react to the shot.
4-1 Saudi Arabia
In added time it was even close to the Saudis scoring to make it 5-1, when they sent a ball onto the post, but it did not go in, and FC Helsingør could "settle" for noting a 4-1 defeat after a fine first half, but a second half that was just for the memory bin.
FCH: Monty (Rej-Rosenqvist 65') R. Olsen, Erbas, “Kritte” Bonnesen, Tobias Christiansen (U19)(70′ Emil Rasmussen U19), F. Christensen, Just, Lodberg, Lange, Forster Langsdorf (Trialist)(70′ Mathias Christensen U19) , Cortez (45’ Alex. Holst U19)
Photo: Claus Birch, clausbirch.dk
