It was a very long game. 101 minutes of playing time was played, and it could have ended with a different result.
Compared to the first two games, Ibrahim Doumbia replaced an injured Hørdur Askham in central defence.
AB fielded the following starting line-up:
1. Indy Groothuizen
3. Erik Lindell
4. Adrien Koudelka
5. Rasmus Brodersen
6. Daniel A. Pedersen
8. Emil Wass
11. Killian van Mil
19. Christian Wagner
22. Tim Freriks
24. Marc Garly Pedersen
29. Ibrahim Doumbia
Now it was AB who ran away with the 5-4 victory over HIK.
AB played in periods with good combinations, but also had periods where the game was slow and circumstantial. HIK was more direct in their game. AB started well from the start and got 3 corner kicks in 2 minutes. Still, it was HIK who first got on the scoresheet to lead 1-0 on a goal by Mathias Veltz.
After 23 minutes, AB had got control of the chances, and on a good cross from Daniel A. Pedersen, Tim Freriks was able to head the ball into the goal to equalize 1-1. The cheers had barely subsided before the ball was in AB’s net, and HIK got ahead 2-1 on a goal by Emil Thomsen. The game surged back and forth, and there were many chances for both teams.
Shortly before the break, Killian van Mil sends a cross into the box, where Tim Freriks was well placed and heads the ball into the goal to make it 2-2.
It only took 3 minutes of the second half before Christian Wagner scored to make it 3-2, so there was a surplus in AB’s camp. Still, it was HIK who had the biggest chances, and it was also HIK who equalized to 3-3 on a goal by Emil Thomsen. AB pressed on, and had two double chances, which did not end in the goal.
HIK gets a quick changeover, but Rasmus Brodersen gets back in the defense and plays the ball away from the HIK player.
After 70 min. the referee awards a penalty. Ibrahim Doumbia played for the bet, and hits the HIK player. Milan Justin Silva Rasmussen shoots the ball through the post and into the goal for a 4-3 HIK lead.
AB has a really good shot from Adrien Koudelka, which unfortunately ends up past the goal. After a fight for the ball, it ends up with Rasmus Brodersen, who safely equalizes to 4-4.
85 min. played and Ilias Namli has come on the field. A HIK player had a leg that was too high, so Ilias Namli falls to the ground millimeters outside the penalty area and a free kick is awarded. Fortunately, he gets back on his feet. Layton Ndukwu had just come on the pitch for his first match. He sends an absolutely fantastic free kick and it sits safely at the top of the goal for a 5-4 lead.
HIK managed to have two chances to score, but luckily they were not lucky.
Victory of 5-4 for AB in the presence of 440 spectators with a really good atmosphere.
After the game, head coach David Roufpanah said: “It was really tough today. The most important thing we can say today is that if we can play well enough to get back in the game and score goals and fight for our club, then it’s good enough and we do. The first 45 minutes are not good enough. There is not enough energy and intensity. In the second half we come back. We fight fantastic in the 2nd half and the games where you don’t play so well, you also have to win those and we did that today.”
Captain Daniel A. Pedersen said: “It was probably the worst game we have played this year. But important that we get the three points. There are two positives we can take away from this match. We score 5 goals and win the match. Otherwise, it was not good. The defense was not good today. The fact that we have to score 5 goals to win says it all. The 3 points are incredibly important and of course we take that with us. It’s good to see that we can come back and get to 5-4 and keep the lead. But it’s unbelievable that it should get there. Sometimes there are some battles where not everything works. Today our defense was poor and I don’t think we were good enough on the ball either. But we have some skilled individualists who decide the game.”
See line-ups, substitutions, warnings and times for goal scoring at:
https://dbu.dk/resultater/kamp/112434_415263/kampfakta
The next match is on Friday 25 August 2023 at 7 pm.
00 against FA 2000 in Frederiksberg Sports Park.
