FC Helsingør took a comfortable 3-0 win in Sunday’s match against FC Roskilde, in a game that could even have been won by more if the FCH players had shown a little more sharpness.
From the start it was FCH who put good pressure on the visitors, with former FC Helsingør coach Christian Lønstrup on the bench.
After four minutes Carl Lange got in behind on a good through ball from Jonas Henriksen. He laid the ball back to the onrushing Nicolas Mortensen, whose shot was blocked. But from the ensuing corner the ball was cheekily played diagonally back to Anders Holst, who crept up from midfield and smashed the ball into the net before the Roskilde players realized what had happened.
1-0 FC Helsingør
The following minute Anders Holst was close to extending the lead, but hit the ball completely awry from a more or less free position right in front of goal. Big chance for the scorer.
Four minutes later FC Helsingør had another corner. The ball was crossed toward the far post, where Nicolas Mortensen was ready. He brought the ball down superbly and cannoned it into the net. A huge relief for Nicolas Mortensen, who had been so close in the previous two matches. At the moment of finishing, Mortensen was hit on the ankle by an opponent, which created a slightly strange situation where his cheering teammates had to scramble off the pile quickly, as Mortensen’s ankle hurt so much that he had to go off the sideline for treatment.
2-0 FC Helsingør
Nicolas Mortensen was quickly ready again, and together with the rest of the FCH players he continued the pressure on the Roskilde players. There were several fine moves leading to chances, without FC Roskilde really being able to threaten the other way.
After 25 minutes Carl Lange was close. He received the ball on the left side and dribbled past two men before sending a shot toward the far corner. Unfortunately, the well-executed finish went a good distance wide of goal.
Three minutes later Roskilde could no longer cope. The away side missed their marking, and Matheus broke free with a run down the left side, while Nicolas Mortensen ran free from his marker in the middle. Matheus squared the ball, and Nicolas Mortensen scored confidently.
3-0 FC Helsingør
FC Helsingør sat heavily on the game before halftime, but no further goals were scored and FCH could go into the dressing room after a brilliant half with a 3-0 lead that was not a goal too big.
The second half unfortunately began with a bit of bad luck for FC Helsingør, as Nicolas Mortensen had to leave with an injury at halftime. He was replaced by Douglas.
FC Roskilde pressed more from the start of the second half, and Mikkel Bruhn had to come out of his area several times and deal with high balls from the opponents. But it was FCH who got the first big chance. Carl Lange got the ball on the left side, took a couple of sharp touches inside, and played the ball across to TK, who finished first time, but unfortunately a good distance over the goal.
Shortly after, it was Douglas who repeated the trick. He also got the ball on the left side, beat his man, and cut into the box. There he laid the ball across to Carl Lange, who was closer than TK had been, but still had to watch his shot go wide. It was FCH who were swarming in this phase around the hour mark.
We had to go all the way to the 72th minute before FC Helsingør got their next big chance. Douglas got the ball from Carl Lange and laid it off to TK, who cut into the box and played yet another ball diagonally back. This time to Douglas, who unfortunately hit the ball completely awry from an otherwise fairly free position in front of goal, and a big chance was wasted. But excellent build-up play by Lange, TK and Douglas.
The second half was not played at quite the same high tempo as the first half, and there was more midfield battling than polished football as the 90 minutes ticked down. FC Helsingør were most dangerous from a couple of corners, where Pascal Gregor was close to getting a touch on the ball, but no more goals were scored, and so FC Helsingør could leave the pitch after the final whistle with a 3-0 win in the bag, and three points added to the tally.
FCH: Bruhn, Bay, Holm, Gregor, Henriksen, TK, Olsen, Lange (78’ Roepstorff), Holst (87’ Willumsen), Matheus, Mortensen (’49 Douglas)
Referee: Chris Johansen
Photo: FC Helsingør
