There was a long time between chances in the first half, but the second half was both exciting, full of goals and well played by both teams, as FC Helsingør on Sunday afternoon could return home from Holbæk with a 2-1 victory, which was only secured at the very end of the match.
It was Helsingør who took the initiative from the start of the match. Holbæk barely touched the ball in the first five minutes, and FCH patiently played around the Holbæk players, who had plenty to do defensively. Apart from a couple of crosses that were repelled in the Holbæk box, it did not lead to open chances, and gradually Holbæk got a little more on the ball.
Holbæk were, however, rare guests on the other side of the halfway line, and the first 20 minutes passed without chances for either side.
After 22 minutes FCH got the first chance of the match, and it was a big one. Jonas Henriksen took a long throw-in from the right side, and inside by the near post Andreas Holm glanced the pass on. The ball sailed into the middle of goal, where Nicolas Mortensen came flying in, but his header unfortunately went straight at Mikkel Kvist in the Holbæk goal.
Three minutes later Lucas Haren found Jonas Henriksen in the Holbæk box. Henriksen cleverly laid the ball back to Haren, who unfortunately sent his effort over the goal.
There was a bit more pace in the match now, and after 27 minutes Holbæk had their first big chance. Rasmus Suhr Petersen received the ball from midfield with a fine through ball and got away from FCH’s defense. Christoffer Petersen was fortunately alert and came out of his goal. Rasmus Suhr finished, but Petersen closed him down and made a superb save. An important action by the young keeper, who has been a very reliable last line of defense in the FCH goal since arriving from Næstved in the summer.
After 35 minutes Carl Lange played a ball out to Jonas Henriksen on the right side. Henriksen laid it off to Lucas Haren, who sent a low cross back across to Lange, who finished from the edge of the box. His effort, however, went the wrong side of the far post.
The following minute Jonas Henriksen delivered a cross onto the forehead of Nicolaj Hansen, but he got slightly under the ball and the header sailed over. But FCH swarmed around the Holbæk goal in this phase, and the next minute it was Jonas Henriksen’s turn to shoot when he got the ball after some crowded play in front of the Holbæk goal, where neither Lange, Kjær nor Mortensen could quite get a shot away. However, Henriksen placed his shot too centrally, and goalkeeper Kvist could save.
Two minutes before halftime it was very close to Jonas Henriksen and Nicolas Mortensen getting on the end of a well-delivered corner from Carl Lange, but the famous margins were just missing. Shortly after it was Lucas Haren who forced Mikkel Kvist into a good save, when he shot from a couple of meters outside the box from a pass by Lange.
But it would not go in, and FCH had to go into the break with 0-0 on the scoreboard, despite a huge advantage in play and chances.
It had not been more than two minutes before FCH had their first big chance. Jonas Henriksen delivered a sharp cross from the right, and Jeppe Kjær finished in a larger cluster of friends and foes, but Mikkel Kvist made another fine save.
After 52 minutes it was Carl Lange’s turn to finish. He cut inside from the right, dribbled past two men and sent a shot toward the far corner. However, a Holbæk defender got a foot to it in front of goal, and the shot went wide. But a good action from Lange.
Two minutes later Holbæk were close to opening the scoring. A well-placed cross went just over Holm centrally, but inside the box first one Holbæk player missed his header, and by the far post the next man shot over the goal. The home team’s best chance up to that point.
But after 63 minutes it was no longer going to happen for the home side. Jeppe Kjær brought down a high ball on the edge of the box and pulled out toward the right. Kjær got into something of a tight angle, but he did not let that bother him and calmly placed it inside the far corner.
0-1 FC Helsingør
The chances that were missing in the first half came pouring in now. The minute after scoring, Jeppe Kjær controlled a ball in the box with his back to goal, turned and shot. But his effort went wide. Almost a bigger chance than the goal itself. And shortly after Holbæk had a big opportunity when a through ball found a Holbæk player at the edge of the FCH box. Christoffer Petersen came out of his goal and disturbed the attacker enough for his shot to hit the side netting.
The next minute, in the 69’ minute, Nicolas Mortensen had a big chance when he got completely free for a header, but he headed over the goal. It did not seem as though he had fully realized how free he actually was.
Holbæk tried to push their press higher up the FCH half, and play in this phase was somewhat frantic from both sides and marked by many close duels and misplaced passes, with yellow cards for several players from both teams, including “TK” after he got heated over a nasty Holbæk tackle on substitute Ricki Olsen.
With ten minutes left of regular time Nicolas Mortensen got away on the left side, but his marker forced him toward the touchline, and his shot was easy for Mikkel Kvist to gather, as he could narrow the angle.
But after 85 minutes Holbæk got on the scoreboard. A good cross from the right side was not cleared out of the box, and Jonas Bengtson could head the ball in behind a hopelessly flailing Christoffer Petersen.
1-1 Holbæk
That did not, however, take the steam out of the boilers for FC Helsingør, and two minutes later “TK” rose highest in front of goal on a cross. His header dropped to the feet of top scorer Nicolas Mortensen in the six-yard box. He swung his right leg and sent the ball into the net with no chance for Mikkel Kvist.
1-2 FC Helsingør
Holbæk pressed wildly at the end, which gave FCH several good counterattacking opportunities. Two minutes into stoppage time Kjær received a good ball at his feet and cut across the Holbæk box. There he was brought down by a Holbæk player, and the referee immediately pointed to the spot. Jeppe Kjær took the penalty himself, but Mikkel Kvist chose the right side and got down to save Kjær’s otherwise fine finish.
Immediately afterward the referee blew for full time, and FCH could note down a well-earned victory against a good-fighting and well-playing Holbæk side.
FCH: Petersen, Bay, Holm, Hansen (59’ “Kritte” Bonnesen), Lange (73’ F. Christensen), Norouzi, “TK” Kristensen, Haren (77’ R. Olsen), Mortensen, Kjær
Photo: Claus Birch, clausbirch.dk
