FC Helsingør took their third win in a row on Friday evening, in a physical and not especially pretty match, where Fredericia for large parts of the game succeeded in breaking up the play, but a moment of brilliance from Anders Holst and Oliver Kjærgaard was enough to score the decisive goal.
The first five minutes of the match belonged to FC Helsingør. The FCH players swarmed around the Fredericia penalty area, and had, among other things, a couple of dangerous corners, where Nikolaj Hansen came close to heading in right in front of the near post on the second one.
Towards the ten-minute mark, however, Fredericia managed to put together a couple of dangerous counters, and just before the clock reached ten minutes the visitors got forward down the right side. Leonel Dahl delivered a dangerous cross into the six-yard box, but the ball reached neither friend nor foe, and went out over the opposite touchline.
In the same sequence, Tonni Adamsen had to sit down at the other end of the pitch, and had to be substituted already in the 12. minute in favor of Philip Rejnhold.
Two minutes later FC Fredericia played their way up through the middle, and the ball ended up with Christian Tue, who struck the ball a couple of metres outside the box. His thunderous shot left Kevin Stuhr helpless, but just missed the far post. The biggest chance of the match so far.
In the 19. minute, FCH won the ball outside their own box on the left side, and Anders Holst carried the ball forward. He had seen that Lucas Haren had got away on the right side, and Holst sent a good ball across the pitch. It took a bounce just in front of Haren, however, and the speedy winger could not quite get the ball under control. Haren did eventually retrieve the ball, and could send in a cross towards the six-yard box, where Anders Holst just barely could not put the ball past his marker, who managed to deflect Holst's shot out for a throw-in.
Three minutes later a quick move led to Daniel Norouzi suddenly finding himself in position for a rare shot on goal. Norouzi, however, sent a really well-struck effort towards the left corner of the net, and forced Elias Olafsson into a full-stretch save.
Shortly after, Norouzi found Lucas Haren with a sharp pass out on the edge of the right side of Fredericia's penalty area. Haren tried to curl the ball towards the far corner, but Olafsson was alert and saved.
Then followed a period where neither team could really work their way to clear chances, and the match turned into a stalemate, close battles and sharp defensive actions.
Five minutes before half-time, FC Helsingør did have a couple of half-chances from corners, where especially Oliver Kjærgaard came close when Philip Rejnhold delivered the ball in on a rebound. But Kjærgaard lacked just a few centimetres to get to the ball, and it sailed through the box.
But one minute before half-time FC Helsingør scored. And what a goal! Anders Holst got the ball outside a packed Fredericia box, and produced a completely Laudrup-esque chip to Oliver Kjærgaard, who was standing with his back to goal. But Kjærgaard spun around, and in the same movement lifted the ball over goalkeeper Olafsson with a delicate toe-poke. A truly superb goal, of a type rarely seen in Danish football.
1-0 FC Helsingør
That was all the teams managed to create in the half, and the FCH players could warm up in the break with a good lead, after an even first half with Holst's and Kjærgaard's brilliance as the difference between the two.
From the start of the second half, Fredericia made two substitutions, and after less than 30 seconds the substitute Kristian Kirkegaard suddenly had a good chance, as he stood free in the middle in front of goal outside the box. Kirkegaard unleashed a rocket towards goal, but his good shot hit the post and went out for a goal kick. A dangerous start from the visitors.
In fact, it was Fredericia who came out best after the break. The visitors swarmed around the FCH box, and Samson Lyede also had a dangerous shot on goal after 50 minutes of play. FC Helsingør struggled to set up play, and after 55 minutes the coaching staff brought on Liam Jordan and Sebastian Czajkowski instead of Oliver Kjærgaard and Lucas Haren, in an effort to make the play a little more cohesive.
That did not bring much more calm to a somewhat messy match, however, and both teams had good counterattacks and committed a number of fouls. Just over an hour in, Anders Holst came agonizingly close when he twice tackled his way past his opponent and got into the box. Holst was alone with Olafsson, but the Fredericia goalkeeper stayed on his feet and saved Anders Holst's finish with a strong foot block.
Otherwise the somewhat messy play continued, with counterattacks for both teams, and after 72 minutes Holst was close to creating a dangerous situation again. He carried the ball up centrally and found Callum McCowatt with a perfectly timed through ball. McCowatt delivered a sharp cross into the box, but in front of goal Czajkowski was marked and could not get a shot away.
After 81 minutes it was Liam Jordan's turn to create a good chance for the home side. Jordan received the ball centrally and first fooled one, then two opponents, and was on his way towards goal when he was brought down from behind by former FCH player Mikkel Basse. Liam Jordan took the free kick himself from a good position just under five metres outside the box, but his otherwise good shot was a little too central, and Olafsson could catch the ball just under the crossbar.
Three minutes later Fredericia got their biggest chance so far. Leonel Dahl received a good ball in behind, and FC Helsingør's defence was beaten. Kevin Stuhr came out of his goal, but Dahl chipped the ball over the charging goalkeeper. Luckily for the home side, Dahl's finish did not quite go in.
On the edge of stoppage time the coaching staff made two more substitutions, with Boysen and Hans Christian “Kritte” Bonnesen coming on instead of Daniel Norouzi and Callum McCowatt to battle home the narrow lead.
The mission succeeded, despite a corner in the dying seconds for Fredericia, where their goalkeeper came up and managed to head the ball on in the box, but in front of goal Nikolaj Hansen was ready and headed it clear. FC Helsingør thus won for the third match in a row, and are now really knocking on the door of a place in the top six. The next match is away against Vendsyssel next Sunday.
FCH: K. Ellegaard, N. Mouritsen, N. Hansen, N. Geertsen, A. Holst, D. Norouzi (87 H.C. Bonnesen), F. Juul Christensen, T. Adamsen (12 P. Rejnhold), O. Kjærgaard (56 S. Czajkowski), L. Haren (56 L. Jordan), C. McCowatt (87 D. Boysen)
