AB Gladsaxe met BK Frem in the spring premiere, and the stage was set for a real classic. Unfortunately, the match ended in a 2-1 defeat.
The match was attended by 1,627 spectators in glorious spring sunshine, and there was great support from both teams’ supporters in the stands.
In AB’s starting line-up, Marcus Bobjerg was on goal. In central defense were Adrien Koudelka and Pachanga Kristensen. On the right side of the defence was Mikkel Nielsen and on the left side Rasmus Brodersen, who had his 50th match anniversary. The central midfield consisted of Søren Ilsøe (captain) and Agust Hlynsson. On the wings, O’Vonte Mullings and Yushi Yamaya. At the top, Tobias Hageltorn and Noah Engell Christensen played, who thereby got their debut and even took over the captain’s armband at the end of the match.
BK Frem got on the scoresheet already after two minutes on an unfortunate own goal by AB’s Søren Ilsøe.
Despite the quick score for BK Frem, AB quickly got back into the game. AB’s goal to make it 1-1 after 11 minutes was scored by O’Vonte Mullings, who came up with a quick run on the edge. He searched into the peloton and was felled. Just as several thought that the referee would award a penalty, the ball rolled over the goal line.
After that, AB took over the game, and the combinations flowed. There was the pace that the team also showed in the practice matches. AB had many chances, as many as two shots on the post and up to several shots on goal in the 1st half. BK Frem lurked on conversions, but did not come to decisive finishes.
AB’s defender Adrien Koudelka got a red card after 65 minutes, as the referee thought he deprived the BK Frem player of an obvious goal chance as the last man.
Then came replacements, where Mikkel Nielsen was replaced by Noah Ibsen, and took over Adrien Koudelka’s defensive spot.Tobias Hageltorn was replaced by Steven Simpson, who took over the right side of defence. Søren Ilsøe was replaced by Ægir Jarl Jonasson. O’Vonte Mullings was replaced by Frederik Lindgaard, and Yushi Yamaya was replaced by Casper Grening, who thus made his debut.
Already three minutes after the sending-off, BK Frem’s Marc Lucas Winkel scored for a 2-1 lead.
BK Frem managed to make the match an open exchange of blows, where it was difficult for AB to control the match.
The golden chance of the match fell to AB’s Casper Grening in the referee’s injury time. Completely free in the middle of the goal, he sent the ball over the goal.
After the game, there was great disappointment with head coach Joey Gudjonsson, and it was certainly not the start he had expected:
“It was really an unfortunate goal that we got against us when BK Frem scored after only one minute. I think we played well in the 1st half and created enough chances that we could have scored more goals, which I also think we deserved to get. I’m happy with the attitude, but as the game progressed, it was difficult to play because the pitch became uneven. It’s not an excuse, and I think the players, despite that, played well in the first half.”
“But the 2nd half was not good – we simply weren’t there. We didn’t play as a team. We were passive. We didn’t play the way we want to play. We didn’t get behind and we didn’t take advantage of the space that was available. We were everywhere, but not according to our plan. The game didn’t hang together and we didn’t work together.”
“I’m sorry that the many fans had to experience our 2nd half, and I would have liked to have done without that. The 2nd half is definitely not one of my proudest moments. I accept mistakes, but if you’re afraid, you’re passive and don’t play together as a team, then it’s not enough.”
“Now we have to move on – next week it’s Middelfart and we have to find more stability in all parts of the game. We simply have to be there from start to finish,” concludes Joey Gudjonsson.
Captain Søren Ilsøe also thought that AB played to more than one defeat.
“There is a lack of quality today, and we need to look at that next week. We knew we could fall behind, so we were prepared for that. However, not that it should already be after two minutes. We quickly get back into the game, where we take it easy and stick to the game plan and play on. We take over the game and drive the ball around, and we also get the equalizer. We have chances for both 2-1 and 3-1.”
“We talk about in the half-time, that the goals will come. Then there is an unfortunate situation in the 2nd half, and we get the red card. We can easily play outnumbered. We have trained that. Then a random ball goes to a Fram player in the penalty area, and then they score. Then it will be difficult.”
“We chase everything we can and we have to compromise a bit with our style of play with some long balls. So they get it over on their terms. We have to get forward on the pitch, and we are one man less, so we have to compromise. Had we made it 2-1, I’m sure Frem wouldn’t have gotten back into the game. We will do better against Middelfart next week, I’m sure of that,” Søren Ilsøe concludes.
The next match will be played on Saturday 15 March 2025 at 14:00 against Middelfart on the artificial turf pitch, Færøvej 54, Middelfart.
