FC Helsingør followed up the away win over Brabrand with a well-played match at home against the relegated side from Thisted FC, who were sent home with a certain 3-0 defeat, thanks to two goals from Jeppe Kjær and one from Lucas Haren.
Only a little over two and a half minutes had been played when FCH had the first big chance. A throw-in from Jonas Henriksen was turned into a corner after good battling from Lucas Haren. Daniel Norouzi floated the ball into the box, and Chris Cortez rose highest in the middle of goal. But Thisted’s keeper got fingertips to it and tipped the ball over the crossbar.
FC Helsingør were the ones applying the pressure at the start of the match, and Jeppe Kjær had a long-range shot just over the goal a couple of minutes later. It was, however, from a fair distance, and it did not really become dangerous. Shortly after, it was close again for Kjær when Chris Cortez played a low cross diagonally back into the box. But Thisted’s defence was alert in front, and cleared it at the last moment.
FCH continued the high press, and after ten minutes Daniel Norouzi tackled his way past his man into the box and finished from a rather tight angle. But once again Thisted’s keeper was in the right place, and saved with a foot block. The pressure continued undeterred, and a minute later Haren beat his man on the right side and played it centrally to Jeppe Kjær, who just failed to get his shot away at the right moment, and the ball flew through the box.
After 13 minutes, Thisted got their first opportunity. A lone attacker came through the middle and was forced out to the right by Nicolaj Hansen. Behind the two, another Thisted player had sneaked in, and he was played the ball backward. He appeared to be marked, so he sent a ball toward the far corner that at first looked harmless, but it dipped wickedly and hit the top of the crossbar beyond Kevin Stuhr’s reach.
That gave Thisted a bit of momentum, and for the next couple of minutes they swarmed around the FCH goal, but the home team defended intelligently, and it never really became dangerous.
Instead, Jeppe Kjær got another chance when, in the 18th minute, he received a fine ball to his feet centrally on the pitch. Kjær was marked, but took one touch and fired from a small 20 metres or so. His good shot, however, just skimmed past the goal.
But after 20 minutes Thisted could no longer hold out. Eli Just carried the ball on the left side. He made a clever move and played it in behind to Chris Cortez. Cortez drove toward the byline and delivered a sharp cross in front of goal, where Jeppe Kjær was ready. The little fighter directed the ball on with a sharp little flick with the outside of his foot, and it flew past the goalkeeper’s outstretched wingspan and into the far corner. A superb counterattack goal from the home side, with a superb finish from Kjær as the icing on the cake.
1-0 FC Helsingør
The referee then blew for a short drinks break in the oppressive summer heat, but when the teams returned to the pitch a couple of minutes later, FCH continued where they had left off. First, Haren came close on a counter to finding Kjær centrally, but his cross was just a touch too far in front. Then, after 26 minutes, Eli Just delivered a pass in front of goal. Eli had his back to goal and a Thisted defender right on his neck, but he still managed to bring the ball down, turn, and shoot. Unfortunately, he was marked a little too tightly, and the acrobatic finish went wide of the post.
Elijah “Eli” Just was here, there and everywhere in the first half hour, and after 32 minutes he won a corner that was close to becoming a goal. Norouzi whipped one of his usual dangerous set pieces in front of goal. The ball was cleared out of the box, but dropped straight to Lucas Haren’s feet, and he took one touch and struck from the edge of the area. His powerful shot, however, just went past the top corner.
Four minutes later it was even closer, and once again Eli was the architect. Eli won the ball centrally and set off toward goal, marked by a single man in the middle. On his right side, Chris Cortez ran along with him, and Eli slipped the ball diagonally forward to the American. Cortez struck hard and low as he entered the box, but once again Thisted’s goalkeeper was alert and blocked it with a good foot save. A big chance for FCH.
When the clock reached the 40th minute, Thisted got their second big chance of the half. A Thisted attacker got the ball at his feet just over the halfway line and carried it down the touchline toward the FCH goal. The run with the ball was good, and over a couple of attempts he got past the FCH press until he could finally cut into the box. Daniel Norouzi applied good pressure, and in the end Kevin Stuhr came out to block the Thisted attempt and gather the ball.
But a minute later FC Helsingør finally reaped the reward for their large advantage. Lucas Haren received the ball from midfield just in front of the Thisted box. With a clever through ball he found Jeppe Kjær, who beat the offside trap and suddenly found himself alone in the box. Kjær took one touch to the right and placed the ball unstoppably into the far corner.
2-0 FC Helsingør
Towards the end of the half Thisted played themselves into a couple of corners, but FC Helsingør stood solid in the lines and kept the North Jutlanders from clear-cut chances. That meant FCH could go into the break with a more than deserved 2-0 lead, which could easily have been a couple of goals larger.
The second half started as the first half had ended. Thus, not more than two minutes had been played before FC Helsingør extended the lead. After a bit of scattered skirmishing, FC Helsingør broke through in the middle. Jeppe Kjær played a good ball to Lucas Haren, who safely put the ball in the net despite a number of Thisted players in the box.
3-0 FC Helsingør
Two minutes later FC Helsingør had a chance that was actually even bigger than the goal. Jeppe Kjær again beat the offside trap, this time just over midfield, and he set off on a one-on-one run toward goal. Unfortunately, he got a bit overeager this time and shot a little too early, and then Thisted’s goalkeeper could save the attempt.
Shortly after, Thisted got their first chance in the second half. A bad cross-field pass was intercepted by a Thisted player, who could shoot from the edge of the box, and Kevin Stuhr had to go all the way to the post and tip the ball away from goal. Good save by the veteran.
From the ensuing corner, Thisted got the ball flicked on in front, and in the middle of goal a Thisted player could get down and head the ball at hip height. He headed it neatly back toward the right side of goal, where the corner had come from, but once again a well-playing Kevin Stuhr was in position and collected the otherwise dangerous attempt.
After about an hour of play, Thisted had their biggest chance of the match so far. After some good build-up play, the ball ended up somewhat randomly with a Thisted player who stood completely alone in the box. He hit it first time, but Kevin Stuhr threw himself forward and blocked the attempt with a good body block. Another big save by Kevin Stuhr Ellegaard.
FC Helsingør brought on Teddy Bergqvist, Nicolas Mortensen and Oliver Kjærgaard for Chris Cortez, Jeppe Kjær and Lucas Haren when the clock reached the hour mark. Just before the substitutions, Jeppe Kjær and Cortez had combined in a good move, where Cortez again delivered a good cross from the left, but once again Kjær’s attempt was prevented at the last moment by Thisted’s defence.
The next ten minutes were marked by a number of substitutions from both teams and a drinks break, so the football that was played took place in midfield and was a little disjointed. For FCH, Mathias “Mac” Christensen replaced Jonas Henriksen, and “TK” came on in place of Daniel Norouzi.
After 76 minutes, FC Helsingør won a free kick on the left side. Frederik Christensen sent a good ball toward the far post, where it was very close to Nicolas Mortensen heading it in, but he could not get quite high enough to the ball, and the header went just wide.
Just before we reached the 80th minute, Thisted were awarded a free kick on the right side of the pitch. They spent quite a while setting up and moving the players around, but in the end Thisted’s taker shot well over the goal. Instead, FCH could work their way up to Thisted’s goal, where they won a couple of corners. Teddy Bergqvist came closest when a clearance fell to him and he promptly shot. His fine effort, however, went just past the post.
Shortly after, Eli and Frederik Christensen had a good one-two on the right side, ending with Eli shooting from the edge of the box, but his attempt was blocked in the Thisted wall.
After 88 minutes, Thisted were close to pulling one back. An harmless-looking ball was played around the FCH box, and in the end one of their players shot from distance. His shot was deflected and flew in a high arc toward goal, but right under the crossbar Kevin Stuhr managed to tip the shot away.
A minute later it was FCH’s turn to swarm around the goal at the other end, and eventually the ball ended up with TK, who shot from distance. His low shot was deflected and was very close to deceiving Thisted’s goalkeeper, but the ball narrowly went past the post.
Then FC Helsingør could calmly play the ball around among themselves and let time run out in a match where the win was never really in danger. It also didn’t hurt that they could save a bit of energy for the next match, which already comes on Wednesday. We meet AB at home, and it is at 19.00.
FCH: K. Ellegaard, J. Henriksen (’69 M. Christensen), A. Holm, N. Hansen, D. Wilkins, E. Just, D. Norouzi (72’ TK Kristensen), F. Christensen, L. Haren (’60 O. Kjærgaard), C. Cortez (’60 T. Bergqvist), J. Kjær (’60 N. Mortensen)
Photo: Claus Birch, clausbirch.dk
