The match began with high pressure from FCH, and already in the first minute Frederik Bay got past his opponent on the left wing, and delivered a fine cross toward Nicolas Mortensen. The striker got to the ball, but Fredericia goalkeeper Alexander Nybo dived well and claimed the ball almost between Mortensen's legs. Good start by FC Helsingør.
After six minutes, FCH won a corner. The visitors tried a short variation that was played back by Carl Lange, but Patrick Olsen's fine shot was blocked in a crowded Fredericia box. Fine attempt from FCH.
After a quarter of an hour, Fredericia had their first really big chance. An FCF player tried to put in a cross from the left side, and kicked the ball onto TK's hand. The referee whistled for a free kick, and on the following set piece the ball was played into the six-yard box, where it ended up dropping down between a large crowd of friends and foes. After a bit of frantic kicking at the ball from both teams, FCH got a foot to it and could clear the ball out of the area.
Five minutes later Fredericia got an even bigger opportunity. A corner kick for Fredericia was driven hard and accurately to the edge of the box, where Andreas Oggesen made a superb contact. On the line, however, TK stood in the way of the shot, and FCH could breathe a sigh of relief. Two big chances for the home side in less than five minutes.
Shortly after, Fredericia played the ball back to goalkeeper Nybo. Nicolas Mortensen came in front of the goalkeeper in a sliding tackle and got a foot on the ball, but unfortunately also took Nybo down in the fall. The referee rightly whistled a foul against Fredericia, but good pressure from Nicolas Mortensen, who with a bit more luck could have put himself in a good position.
After 35 minutes, Carl Lange got past his man on the left side. He drove tightly followed into the box, where he tried to find a teammate. Fredericia cleared the ball after a couple of attempts, but only out to Mikkel Basse, who tried a shot. The effort was blocked in the box and went out for a corner that came to nothing.
Right at the end of the half, Fredericia had a huge chance when a cross caught FCH's defense a little way up the pitch, and it was by centimeters that Frederik Bay managed to get up and trouble Anders Holvad enough for Holvad's header to go over the goal instead of in. Good intervention by the young left back at an important time.
The second half also started with a big FC Fredericia chance, when a Fredericia player dribbled all the way into FCH's box and finished toward the far corner. The ball, however, went just wide of the outside of the post, but FCH had been warned.
After Fredericia forced a couple more corners, it was FCH that began to apply a little more pressure. After 53 minutes Carl Lange dribbled into the box and was tackled hard from behind, but the referee judged that the tackle was on the ball, and his whistle remained silent.
Just over an hour into the game, FCH won a corner. It was played in right in front of goal, where Holm was held down rather aggressively. The ball fell to the feet of Pascal Gregor, who struck immediately. But the defender's shot was blocked.
Shortly after, Lange again broke through on the left side and cut into the box, where he laid a good low ball across. But there was no FCH player who could get to the ball, which went harmlessly out. In the moment after, a Fredericia player cleared the ball out of his own area, and just outside the box Lucas Haren set up for a shot. He struck the ball well, but it went half a meter over the goal. FC Helsingør were pressing in this phase of the match, which kept swinging from side to side.
A longer period followed with many duels in midfield, and two teams trying to launch a counterattack without either side really being able to break down the other's defense.
But in the 81th minute, FC Helsingør could no longer manage it. After a couple of neat touches, Fredericia got to a shot from the left side of the box. Viktor Anker pulled off a fantastic save right by the post, but he could not prevent Fredericia's Dennis Høegh from calmly striking the rebound into the far corner.
1-0 FC Fredericia
In the 88th minute FC Helsingør got going on the right wing. A superb cross was sent into the six-yard box toward Nicolas Mortensen and substitute Douglas, and it was Mortensen who rose highest. Unfortunately, the Fredericia defense had troubled the striker enough for his header to just miss the goal.
Right at the end of stoppage time, FCH forced a corner after intense pressure, and Viktor Anker went forward too, but Fredericia held firm again, and the referee blew for full time the moment the ball left the box.
So FC Helsingør had to accept that despite a number of good attacking moves and a strong defensive display, FC Fredericia could leave the dressing room as winners of a tight affair that for long periods swung on a knife-edge. But since both Roskilde and Thisted dropped points, FC Helsingør remain above the line until the match against HB Køge on Sunday
FCH: Anker-Gregor-Holm-Henriksen-Bay-“TK” Køhler-Basse (Willumsen ’90)-Haren-Olsen-Mortensen-Lange (Douglas ’87)
Photo: Claus Birch, clausbirch.dk
