FC Helsingør visited Randers FC on Wednesday evening and got away from Kronjylland with a point. It was a match where fight and defensive virtues were more in focus than polished football, and where the icy winter weather left its mark on the events.
The first five minutes started with heavy Randers pressure toward the Helsingør goal. Three corners were awarded, and the Helsingør players were busy clearing the ball early on in the match. Randers did not manage to become truly dangerous, and FC Helsingør were able to establish themselves a little better in the contest.
This was followed by a period in which FCH pushed their lines higher and applied good pressure to the home side. After just over 20 minutes, they were close to being rewarded, when Adnan Mohammad cut inside and let fly, but the beautiful shot hit the inside of the crossbar and bounced back into the box, where Douglas just failed to reach the ball. But it was a big chance for Helsingør.
Just before the stadium clock reached the half-hour mark, Randers’ young striker Mølvadgaard had a big opportunity, but his shot thankfully went into the side netting.
Otherwise, there were few big chances for either side in a first half that was for long stretches marked by heavy snowfall and biting cold, and the weather also affected the game, which from both teams was more marked by fight and intensity than by good, technical football. The cold and snow led to a number of coincidences and mistakes, but both teams were attentive in closing down defensively.
It was therefore quite fair that the teams could go into halftime with the score 0-0, although Adnan’s shot could well have deserved a better fate.
From the start of the second half, FCH looked better on the ball, as the snowfall eased off, and the visitors were more successful in putting together play in the middle. Only a couple of minutes had been played when Adnan Mohammad again dribbled his way into a good position, but his shot went straight at Randers goalkeeper Haldorsson.
After that, the teams played on until the 60th minute without reaching much of note, but then FC Helsingør were close to being in trouble. Patrick Olsen had his arm around Randers’ Johansson in the box during a duel, and he fell dramatically to the ground. The referee blew and pointed to the spot, despite the Helsingør players’ protests. Former Helsingør player Kasper Enghardt stepped up, but did not take the penalty especially well, and Mikkel Bruhn once again ensured that no penalty was scored against FC Helsingør, as he strongly parried the shot over the byline.
Both teams looked for the opening that could produce a goal, but two compact defenses shut things down well both in open play and on set pieces. After 80 minutes, Randers’ Mikael Boman unleashed a cannonball from distance, Mikkel Bruhn could only watch, but Boman’s dangerous shot hit the top of the crossbar and went over.
As the match entered stoppage time, both teams pushed for the winning goal, and substitute Markkanen was close when he rose highest to meet a corner, but Mikkel Bruhn was well positioned and could catch the header. Melvin Frithzell had been brought on for FC Helsingør and had a couple of good runs into the box late on, but without really threatening the Randers goal.
The match therefore ended with one point for each team, and a hard-working Helsingør side seemed most satisfied with the result, which, with Lyngby’s simultaneous defeat in Odense, means FCH keep pace with the other teams in the relegation battle.
FCH: Bruhn, Bay, Jørgensen, S. Henriksen, Fisch, Mohammad, Basse, P. Olsen, Matheus, Douglas, Mortensen.
Substitutes: Holst, Frithzell
Photo: Claus Birch, clausbirch.dk
