It was one of those matches where not much went FC Helsingør's way, as the Helsingør side were sent home from Fredericia on Sunday afternoon with a 2-0 defeat that there was little to argue against.
After just under a minute and a half, the home side had the first chance. The ball was played across the six-yard box, and it was only with the very tips of his fingers that Kevin Stuhr managed to get a touch and send the ball on to Anders Holst, who could clear it.
Four minutes into the match, Fredericia had an even bigger chance. A Fredericia corner was sent into the six-yard box, where the ball passed both the centre-backs and Kevin Stuhr's gloves. A metre in front of goal, the ball dropped to the feet of Samson Iyede, who shot first time. Luckily for FCH, he did not strike the ball cleanly, and Kevin Stuhr Ellegaard blocked the shot on the line with a good reflex save. The home side strongly appealed that the ball had crossed the line, but no goal was given.
For the next ten minutes, FC Helsingør pushed the game further up the pitch, but Fredericia pressed aggressively, and the FCH players had difficulty putting moves together into chances. Both teams gave and took in the tackles during this phase, and quite a few players ended up on the grass.
Fredericia won a free kick on the edge of the box, which was sent in for a cross and out over the byline, and Frederik Bay delivered a good cross to Oliver Kjærgaard, who, however, could not control the ball. Otherwise, we had to wait until the 23th minute for the next chance. Fredericia put a cross into the box, and FC Helsingør could not clear their lines. In the end the ball fell to Leonel Montano, who shot a metre over from close range.
But it did not keep going FC Helsingør's way, and two minutes later Kristian Kirkegaard was played a good ball into his feet. Kirkegaard took two touches to the right, past two FC Helsingør players, and placed the ball inside the left post with a controlled finish. It was not undeserved, considering the play and the chances.
1-0 FC Fredericia
In the 27th minute, Oliver Kjærgaard drifted out to the right wing and sent a low cross across the box. Anders Holst was centrally positioned, and he was hacked down by Raphael Nwadike, who stuck his studs into Holst's ankle without being anywhere near the ball. Yellow card to Nwadike, and a free kick to FC Helsingør. Frederik Bay took it, but his powerful shot was saved by the wall.
Ten minutes later, Fredericia extended their lead instead. Christian Tue played a good ball centrally and fooled his marker with a neat turn. Tue laid it across to the surging Samson Iyede, who was completely free on the left side of the box. Iyede smashed the ball first time, and his shot went in high under the crossbar, giving Kevin Stuhr no chance.
2-0 FC Fredericia
Two minutes later, Fredrik Bay carried the ball forward on the left side. Bay could not get a cross in, so he cut inside and played to Lucas Haren centrally. Haren saw that Philip Rejnhold had come up on the right wing, and laid the ball out to the full-back. Rejnhold tried a dipping shot toward the far corner, but the ball whizzed past the post. Excellent build-up play by FCH.
Three minutes before half-time, Lucas Haren had a big chance. Daniel Norouzi had sneaked up into the box, and despite heavy traffic, he managed to slip a ball back diagonally to Haren. The winger took one touch and shot toward the far corner, but once again the ball flew just wide of the far post.
In stoppage time in the half, Christian Tue again found space on the right side, just outside the box, and this time he took the shot himself. Kevin Stuhr got down well, however, and saved Tue's fine effort. FC Helsingør could therefore go into the break with two goals against them, after a half that was not especially well played by the Helsingør side.
The coaching staff also took the consequence of that, and made three substitutions at the break. Callum McCowatt replaced Oliver Kjærgaard, Carl Lange came on on the right wing, with Anders Holst moved down to right-back in place of the substituted Philip Rejnhold, and in central midfield Mihkel Ainsalu came on instead of Frederik Juul Christensen.
That gave FCH a bit more play from the start of the second half, and in the first ten minutes of the half FC Helsingør swarmed around the Fredericia box, though without really becoming dangerous.
After an hour, FC Helsingør had their biggest chance of the half so far. Carl Lange beat his man and drove into the box with the ball. Centrally, however, the box was crowded with Fredericia players, and Lange lost the ball. It did not travel any further than Callum McCowatt, who had also come into the box, and he nudged the ball on to Lange, who shot first time. But Elias Olafson in goal blocked the attempt.
Two minutes later, Fredericia came agonisingly close. A cross was delivered from the right side, and Mathias Gertsen was standing free in the middle. He shot toward the far corner, but the ball hit the post and went out. Centimetres away from FCF closing out the match.
That gave the home side more of a taste for it, and it was Fredericia who controlled the game in this phase. FC Helsingør tried to threaten through wins of possession and counterattacks, but each time Fredericia put a stick in the wheel for the visitors, while also looking for the chance that could settle the match once and for all.
In the 79th minute, Fredericia had a big double chance. First Nwadike got a shot off from the edge of the box after a good cutback. Kevin Stuhr saved it, but could not hold the shot, which fell straight to Mathias Gertsen. Gertsen smashed at it, but Kevin Stuhr Ellegaard saved again and got the ball past the goal. Huge chance for Gertsen.
In stoppage time, FC Helsingør got one last chance to add some gloss to the result. Substitute Niklas Mouritsen sent a lovely diagonal ball over to Lucas Haren, who went on a run down the touchline. Haren reached the byline and sent the ball back diagonally to Callum McCowatt, who shot toward the far corner from the edge of the box. But, symptomatic of FC Helsingør's day, Callum's fine shot was blocked before it could cross the line. Nothing else happened in the match, and FC Helsingør had to head home to North Zealand with a defeat they could hardly argue against.
FC Helsingør do, however, have the chance to get back on the horse already on Friday, when they host Esbjerg at Helsingør Stadium. Kick-off is at 19.00
1: K. Stuhr Ellegaard, F. Bay (82’ Mouritsen). N. Hansen, N. Geertsen, P. Rejnhold (45’ C. Lange), F. Juul Christensen (45’ M. Ainsalu), D. Norouzi, A. Holst, O. Kjærgaard (45’ C. McCowatt), L. Haren, D. Boysen (63’ L. Jordan)
