International friendlies Wed 26

Denmark - Czech Republic 1-1

Zdeněk Pospěch earned another cap at the Czech right back. Libor Sionko put a cross to Kollar's forehead in the 42nd minute for the Czech goal. In the 59th minute left back Niclas Jensen replaced Brøndby's Thomas Rasmussen. William Kvist who did service both at the right back and in midfield nearly made it 2-1 shortly before the end whistle. Ulrik Laursen did not look quite as comfortable as he does in regular Danish league games.

[Koller picks up Czechs in Denmark | Koller gives Czechs draw in Denmark | Honours Even In Denmark | DBU | Olsen's choices systematic]

U21 Denmark - Sweden 0-1

Debut of Mathias "Zanka" Jørgensen.

[Experimental Sweden edge Danes]

Estonia - Canada 2-0

I suppose Atiba Hutchinson was there.

[Fans help friendly go ahead | Estonia defeats Canada 2-0 in men's soccer friendly on snowy pitch | image: President of the Estonian Football Association and football fans clear the field from snow]

Sweden - Brazil 1-0

No mention of FC København players apparent, but a Swedish article quotes Marcus Allbäck he's "close to making up his mind" on transferring to either Spain's Primera Division or Swedish boyhood club Örgryte (Allbäcks val: Till Örgryte eller Spanien).

[Pato breaks duck to sink Sweden | Pato's debutant ball]

Spring cleaning

Outside it's snowing but calendar says it's spring so as regular visitors will have noticed I've gotten rid of the old layout in a spring clean-up and the team has undertaken the last part of the championship begun last year. What you see isn't the 'next version' since I think of this blog as an ongoing experiment, so for now you have to put up with the somewhat weird and 90ies looking chalked grass thing I got going out on the right... I'll also have to come up with somewhere to put this...

...so no, I'm not done.

And neither is the team! The first of four encounters with Esbjerg fB this half season ended as a loss (2-1 away, defender assisted goal by Jesper Grønkjær). Annoying, but also why we love the game. When it comes down to it all three goals were rather random. Then this Saturday AC Horsens were beaten (1-0 home, goal on penalty by Libor Sionko). Media have been quite aggressive towards FC København for being 'boring' and old know-betters have reared their ugly heads again at this slightest chance to reinvigorate their bashing of the contract with Ailton Almeida (coach Ståle has to do some rotation in his starting 11, but obviously ONE game without Ailton is PROOF he's a waste of money). Anyway, we're second with three points to #1 AaB and five points to #3 FC Midtjylland.

Lastly, as I'll remove some of the more exotic features of my sidebar I'll leave them here for probably very few people to ever find again. First, the Copenhagen Football Map made with Google Maps... you guys really don't need to know where Hvidovre Stadium is at.

Vis stort kort
Then there were a few polls on expectations for our European campaign this season. Since I have no idea what type of people actually vote I don't know who the results says anything about. But generally votes were evenly distributed. Which makes sense since we played teams like Beitar Jerusalem and RC Lens - pretty solid teams that we can both win over and lose to.

Guess I better do a poll on who you are?

Images of Lyngby

1-4 win, goals by Libor Sionko, Zdenek Pospech, Mathias Jørgensen and Jose Luis Junior. League position: First :-)

Spring season kick-off

Sometimes it's a bit annoying but there are other teams in the Danish league. Spring season kicks off today so here are a few links about it in general.

Incomplete but long list of transfers @ Ekstra Bladet. Since then at least one significant transfer has been made when FC Nordsjælland sold goalie Kim Christensen to Swedish champs IFK Göteborg. They have signed a new one but must be considered weakened.

Top teams: AaB is topping the league right now but will have to finish without Rade Prica whom they have shipped off to Sunderland.
AC Horsens coach Kent Nielsen doesn't belive in bronze medals (Source in Danish) so why should we? FC Midtjylland's Winston Reid is out injured for about a month and a half and coach Erik Rasmussen has declared his resignment following this season. OB will be missing a central defender obviously. Both OB and Midtjylland are expected to finish top three rather than top five though.

Middle teams: Randers FC has had four players out ill this week and didn't doo too well in the cup vs Brøndby. As mentioned FC Nordsjælland will miss their goalie but probably still produce plenty of chances and get the occasional sensational win. How Esbjerg fB does depends on how Niki Zimling does and right now he's injured. Brøndby IF, our old rivals, has finally signed a manager. Hermann Haraldsson proved both optimist and/or funny in instantly declaring a goal of being the wealthiest club in Scandinavia and finishing top four this season. It's possible but we'll see.

Fighting for survival: AGF has a nice white shirt and the top scorer, Peter Graulund. I wish they make it. Viborg FF are doomed for relegation it seems but have signed none other than Elvis (Wikipedia). Lyngby will take their first of many beatings this Sunday. Goodbye, Lyngby.

Also, there is a jersey gallery @ Ekstra Bladet.

Danish Cup

Saturday

• Næstved - FC København 0-2

Sunday

• Skive - Esbjerg fB 0-4


• Vejle - FC Midtjylland 1-2


• Brøndby IF - Randers FC 2-1

Draw

• Brøndby IF - FC Midtjylland


• FC København - Esbjerg fB

Add 1^st semifinal to Google Calendar:

Update:

"Riot" video at YouTube

Friendly: Stabæk home 4-0 win

Your blogger and his buddy defied the February weather and went to see today's friendly vs Norwegian Stabæk, and here is a quick report and a couple of pictures for you.

It was windy, it rained and the pitch was slightly muddy but it was a good day for a game. Stabæk finished 2nd in Norway last season and proved a worthy opponent although clearly not in the shape Copenhagen is in. For most of the game the lower 3rd of the Danish league would have had no business in it. Our defense was quite solid, the offense snappy and everyone hard working. An encouraging experience.


Most of the sun rays of the day are in this picture.

1st half

(Line-ups are approximate as some substitutions were made outside the half time break.)

Ailton - Allbäck

Grønkjær - Kvist - Hutchinson - Silberbauer

Jensen - Zanka - Laursen - Pospěch

Christiansen

Allbäck had scored for 1-0 by the time I arrived which was only a little late. In short we had the ball while Stabæk managed a couple of counters that Jesper Christiansen saved. Ailton Almeida made it 2-0 by hammering a loose ball in the net just before the half-time whistle.

2nd half

Junior - Nordstrand

Grønkjær - Nørregaard – Würtz - Sionko

Wendt - Zanka - Laursen - Pospěch

Christiansen

A more aggressive offense rattled the struggling Norwegians further backwards. Sionko had to leave the game to have his eyebrow stitched back together but for the playing time he got he was on fire. 3-0 by our new striker, José Junior, who played the beginning of 2nd half in an all-Brazilian attack. With 10 minutes to go Zanka made it 4-0 on a corner kick follow up header that made us forget Hangeland.

Man of the match: Mathias 'Zanka' Jørgensen [Wikipedia] - for someone turning 18 in two months this was an outstanding performance. Topped with a goal.

Most reassuring: Ulrik Laursen. Given the captaincy in Michaels Gravgaard's absence and living up to the trust by playing with the confidence and authority of a star player of years of team experience.

Most exciting: The offense in general. Four equally competent yet different strikers, very prolific wingers and Atiba Hutchinson getting back into shape.


Morten Nordstrand battling Christian Keller for the ball.