International performances - FIFA, UEFA and the "mediasphere"

As I surf the football-Internet waiting for today's home encounter with champions AaB let me share with you a couple of links, notes and thoughts on what has happened in the long break since last league game.

FIFA World Cup qualification, 6th of September: Albania vs Sweden 0-0
Oscar Wendt played 77 minutes as a left wing in a three defenders lineup. More: UEFA.com / Albania stifle Sweden challenge, The Local / Sweden draw a blank in World Cup opener.

FIFA World Cup qualification, 6th of September: Hungary vs Denmark 0-0
A dull game with participation of zero current FC København players but several former ones. Good performances by Hungary's Tamas Hajnal and a couple of others. Danish media went nuts after this one - each furious match report inspired the next one to go even lower. A losing battle for most as Ekstra Bladet will always win such a game (except if we'd played a Muslim country I'd have considered Jyllands-Posten a dark horse in the race). More: UEFA.com / Hungary and Denmark share spoils.

FIFA World Cup qualification, 10th of September: Northern Ireland vs Czech Republic 0-0
Had Libor Sionko starting and doing 67 minutes to be substituted by Zdenek Pospech. The Irish goalie "had to get down low to keep out a shot from Libor Sionko" FIFA's match report says. More: UEFA.com / Czechs checked in Belfast opener, FIFA.com / Czech stalemate for Northern Ireland, BBC / N Ireland 0-0 Czech Republic.

FIFA World Cup qualification, 10th of September: Portugal vs Denmark 2-3
A magnificent win with Hjalte Bo Nørregaard on the bench. The players didn't bother with the post-match press conference leading aforementioned media circus into another self-induced week long state of rage. Pathetic if you ask me. For once the tabloid didn't patent the truth but what do I care as long as the players put three points on the table? More: UEFA.com / Denmark pip Portugal at the last.

FIFA World Cup qualification, 10th of September: Mexico vs Canada 2-1
Atiba Hutchinson played all 90 minutes.
More: Mexico beats Canada 2-1 in World Cup qualifier, Knight: World Cup reality check.

FIFA World Cup qualification, 10th of September: Sweden vs Hungary 2-1
This time with Oscar Wendt benched seeing no action.

A meager break of international games to say the least. Speaking FC København.

UEFA Cup, 18th of September: FC Moscow vs FC København 1-2
A strangely slow game except for the second half injury time. Nice to see the team go into overdrive as an extra effort was suddenly needed to clinch all three points. The "Russian News and Information Agency" sums up their nation's teams performances:

FC Moskva, playing in the Russian capital, went behind to a first half penalty in their match against the Danes FC Kobenhavn. A last minute equalizer by Aleksandr Samedov looked to have saved the match for Oleg Blokhin's men, but the Danes struck back in injury time, a header from substitute Libor Sionko earning the visitors a surprise win.

[CSKA and Spartak win away, Moskva suffer home defeat in UEFA Cup]

Blokhin said at the press conference we were "better than Spartak". More: Ajax take applause amid Kalmar clamour.

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]

grep 'current or former FCK player' Match Report of TOTAL INTERNATIONAL DISGRACE @ UEFA.com > blog

UEFA.com / Denmark - Sweden (aka FCK1 vs FCK2), match abandoned at 3-3

1 Linderoth (Sweden) commits a foul after challenging Poulsen (Denmark).
2 Allbäck (Sweden) gives away a free-kick following a challenge on Poulsen (Denmark).
5 Gravgaard (Denmark) fouls.
5 Allbäck (Sweden) commits a foul after challenging Gravgaard (Denmark).
7 (0 - 1) Elmander (Sweden) scores!
Sweden lead their fierce rivals Denmark, with Johan Elmander on target just seven minutes into this Group F encounter - the forward shooting low into the net after capitalising on a mistake by Michael Gravgaard. The Swedes were a point behind section leaders Northern Ireland before kick off so would go top with a win tonight.
11 Ljungberg (Sweden) commits a foul after challenging L. Jacobsen (Denmark).
14 Allbäck (Sweden) gives away a free-kick following a challenge on Kahlenberg (Denmark).
15 Gravgaard (Denmark) misses the target.
16 Allbäck (Sweden) misses the target.
20 Linderoth (Sweden) takes the corner.
22 Gravgaard (Denmark) fouls.
23 (0 - 2) Hansson (Sweden) scores on free-kick!
Sweden double their advantage and in fine style as Petter Hansson sends a free-kick from just outside the penalty area into the top-right corner of the net following Gravgaard's foul on Elmander.
24 L. Jacobsen (Denmark) commits a foul after challenging Elmander (Sweden).
28 L. Jacobsen (Denmark) delivers the corner.
34 (1 - 3) Agger (Denmark) scores!
Denmark pull a goal back through Daniel Agger, the Liverpool FC defender scoring with a left foot strike after being set up by a Gravgaard header.
40 L. Jacobsen (Denmark) commits a foul after challenging Nilsson (Sweden).
40 Allbäck (Sweden) is adjudged to be in an offside position.
44 Linderoth (Sweden) delivers the corner.
45+1 L. Jacobsen (Denmark) misses the target.

50 Allbäck (Sweden) is adjudged to be in an offside position.
52 L. Jacobsen (Denmark) delivers the corner.
57 Linderoth (Sweden) takes the corner.
60 Allbäck (Sweden) commits a foul after challenging Andreasen (Denmark).
60 Linderoth (Sweden) gives away a free-kick following a challenge on Daniel Jensen (Denmark).
63 Grønkjær (in) - Daniel Jensen (out) (Denmark)
64 Linderoth (Sweden) fouls.
66 Gravgaard (Denmark) commits a foul after challenging Allbäck (Sweden).
67 Allbäck (Sweden) is flagged for offside.
68 Linderoth (Sweden) delivers the corner.
69 Poulsen (Denmark) gives away a free-kick following a challenge on Ljungberg (Sweden).
73 L. Jacobsen (Denmark) takes the corner.
75 L. Jacobsen (Denmark) delivers the corner.
83 Gravgaard (Denmark) has an effort on goal.
83 Linderoth (Sweden) commits a foul after challenging Jørgensen (Denmark).
84 Linderoth (Sweden) is cautioned by the referee.
86 L. Jacobsen (Denmark) takes the corner.
87 Linderoth (Sweden) fouls.
87 Grønkjær (Denmark) delivers the corner.
89 Rosenberg (Sweden) was fouled in the penalty area by Poulsen (Denmark)
89 Poulsen (Denmark) is dismissed.
The final whistle is blown.
With a minute of the 90 still to play the match has been abandoned and the result will now be confirmed following an investigation by the UEFA Disciplinary Committee upon receipt of the referee and delegate reports.

Talk about involvement! Now, if I was to include the former Brøndby IF players as well... Rest assured this one will be discussed for months if not years. Brøndby Support excelled by having a few members kicked for lighting fireworks in the stadium despite that being banned.

Swedish Aftonbladet has collected a series of photos of the red card being given to Christian Poulsen and the attack itself.

Linderoth to miss N.Ireland game

Guardian Unlimited / up 3-Sweden's Linderoth to miss N.Ireland game

"I did two training sessions today, one with the ball and a running session, but my muscles are tender and I will not be ready in time for Northern Ireland."

Marcus Allbäck is in though.