FC Helsingør took the lead, but still had to settle for a draw as Silkeborg equalized right at the end in a rather ugly match that finished 1-1.
FC Helsingør were the better team at the start of the match. After two minutes, TK played a long ball, Douglas laid it on, and Matheus finished from a tight angle on the left side of the box, but his shot went a good way over.
A minute later, TK threw a long throw-in, the ball was headed down into the box, and between friends and foes Søren Henriksen swung his leg at it, but again the shot went over the goal, as a Silkeborg player just managed to deflect the ball. From the resulting corner, the ball again dropped into the middle of the box, but Daniel Jørgensen could not get a touch on it, and goalkeeper Friis was able to get down and save.
Silkeborg then worked their way to a couple of crosses that were dealt with in the FCH box, and on a counter from the last one, it was frighteningly close to TK scoring. Douglas drove the ball forward, found Matheus with a through ball, and although the Brazilian was tackled, he still managed to poke the ball forward to Douglas again, who set it up for TK. The midfielder tried a delicate finish over the goalkeeper, but his shot hit the crossbar. Fine build-up play by FC Helsingør.
After 12 minutes came the breakthrough, and what a breakthrough! A ball was kicked long from midfield and was headed on to Douglas, who curled the ball in after the long corner. It hit the underside of the crossbar and went down onto the right post, rolled along the line, hit the left post, and went in. A wonderful goal!
1-0 FC Helsingør
After that followed a period in which the play took place more in the middle of the pitch, and FCH stood a little deeper on the field. After 21 minutes, Martin Fisch did get a shot away after yet another long throw-in from TK, but although he was well positioned in the box, there were still enough SIF players around him for the defender not to get a proper touch on the ball.
The next ten minutes saw Silkeborg press forward. The visitors came to several good crosses and a couple of corners, but the Helsingør players stood well in the box and cleared the attempts.
As the half hour passed, it was FCH's turn to put pressure on Silkeborg. Douglas, who had started strongly, produced several really fine actions, and a long ball up to the big Brazilian was laid across to Mikkel Basse, who instead of shooting tried to square it to Matheus, who, however, could not reach the ball.
Neither team managed to create anything further, and then Helsingør could go into the break with a narrow lead.
The second half started with two big chances for Helsingør. First it was Basse who broke through on the left side and played the ball diagonally back into the box, but Douglas could not reach the pass, and then Silkeborg could clear their lines. Shortly after, TK found Douglas with a lovely pass over two SIF players, but the Brazilian had moved out to the left side of the box, and before he could shift the ball onto his right foot, he was pressured so much by the Silkeborg defence that he did not get a proper touch on the ball, which sailed over the goal. Otherwise a fairly big chance for FCH.
The next ten minutes were dominated by Silkeborg, and Silkeborg felt robbed of a penalty when Rochester was struck on the leg as he cut across the box, but referee Jens Maae's whistle remained silent. But FC Helsingør had trouble playing their way out of the pressure in this phase.
The match entered a nervous phase all the way up to the 80th minute. Both teams were looking for the counterattack, but the match was more about physicality and duels than sharp passes, and neither side could deliver the decisive blow.
In the 80th minute, Silkeborg finally managed to put the ball in the net. From a corner, the ball was played across the box in every direction and ended up with Davit Skhirtladze, who fired it in, while the hairs stood on end in fear among the Helsingør fans, but the striker had come from an offside position, and the goal was disallowed.
A minute later, Douglas was centimeters away from extending the lead. A throw-in from TK was headed on in the box, and the ball dropped to Douglas' feet, who finished, but goalkeeper Peter Friis was in place and, with a pale face and a miracle, managed to stop the shot. Huge chance for the Brazilian.
In 92 minutes of added time, it was Silkeborg's turn to be centimeters away. An excellent pass found Stefan Pedersen, who squared the ball to Gustav Nilsson, who, completely free, made contact and sent the ball toward the far corner, but Mikkel Bruhn got down all the way out by the post and saved the ball.
But a minute later it went wrong, almost in the final action of the match. Stefan Pedersen drove the ball forward on the right side, laid it off to Mikkel Vendelbo, who whipped in a razor-sharp cross to Gustav Nilsson, who volleyed it firmly past Mikkel Bruhn.
1-1 Silkeborg IF
A huge gut punch for an FC Helsingør side that had otherwise defended heroically. And now everything is open in the return match in Silkeborg on Sunday, where FC Helsingør will have to go and score.
FC Helsingør: Bruhn, Fisch, Gregor, S. Henriksen, Jørgensen, Matheus, P. Olsen, Christian “TK” Köhler, Basse, Douglas, Mortensen.
Substitutes: Mohammad, R. Olsen, Bay.
Referee: Jens Maae
