Earlier today, AB Gladsaxe played the last tournament match before the winter break. The opponent was FA 2000 and the match was played on grass pitch 3 at Gladsaxe Stadium, as the exhibition ground must be quiet before the cup match against FC Nordsjælland.
AB lined up in a 4-back line, where Daniel A. Pedersen was back in midfield. Albert Gaub-Jacobsen took his place in goal, and Indy Groothuizen was on the bench. Adrien Koudelka and Frederik Lindgaard replaced the quarantined Tim Freriks and Hørdur Askham, who were with the Faroese national team for the European Championship qualification.
AB got a 3-2 victory and there was a good fight with a lot of duel play and that was enough to get the 3 important points for the table. After the holiday, 6 games await before the tournament turns into the promotion or relegation playoff.
The coaching staff had chosen the following starting line-up:
16 Albert Gaub-Jacobsen
3 Erik Lindell
4 Adrien Koudelka
5 Rasmus Brodersen
6 Daniel A. Pedersen
8 Darren Sidoel
11 Killian van Mil
15 Søren Ilsøe
24 Mark Garly Pedersen
29 Ibrahim Doumbia
37 Frederik Lindgaard
AB started with good energy, stood high on the pitch and sat well on the game. 8 minutes into the game, a cross in the box was resolutely kicked into the goal by Daniel A. Pedersen to lead 1-0. Just 8 minutes later, Killian van Mil is sent off from the middle after a very sharp and accurate pass. He dribbles towards goal and can shoot the ball around the goalkeeper for a 2-0 lead.
FA 2000 then came more into the game and got an advantage by passing the ball well around the pitch. After 32 minutes, a completely free Magnus Ravn comes through the defense and can reduce to 2-1 without a chance for Albert Gaub-Jakobsen in AB’s goal. Shortly before time, Mark Garly Pedersen shoots a really good shot at FA 2000’s goal, but unfortunately FA 2000’s goalkeeper brings out a nice save.
AB benefited from the break and blew to attack. Already after 2 minutes, AB gets a corner kick, which is taken by Killian van Mil. The cross was very good and pressed FA 2000’s goalkeeper Melvin Yndeheim, so it ended with an own goal.
With a lead of 3-1, AB could have closed the game, but FA 2000 again found good play. After 65 min. a cross ends up in the box and the AB defense does not clear the ball away. Oskar Høybye reduces to 3-2 and the game is again completely open. In this period, FA 2000 showed good play and could have equalised on the chances they had. In the last 15 minutes, AB gets more chances to increase the lead. Ilias Namli comes on the pitch and he dribbles as if he didn’t realize how bumpy the pitch was. He gets a pass to Emiliano Gomez, who passes the ball on to Daniel A. Pedersen, who at high speed enters the box and finishes, but the goalkeeper manages the shot from him. Mark Garly fights his way to the ball on the sideline and the attack ends up with Emiliano Gomez, who shoots completely free past goal. In the referees’ overtime, a good pass is sent to Ilias Namli, who alone finishes straight at the goalkeeper.
After the game, head coach David Roufpanah said: “We expected a physical game, which we had talked about beforehand and that’s how it turned out. We had made our game plan according to that and according to the pitch conditions. We challenged the game in a good way. Of course, there are always things we could have done better. But I think we played well together today and collectively we stood well together and worked hard. That is important in such matches. It is the month of November and the courses are uneven. It is about creating chances and it is about defending well. I’m not happy with the way they got their goals, but it was a great team effort today. FA 2000 also plays well and tries to create chances, but also has a hard time on such a pitch. But we come out of the game with three points and that is strong. Now we have four days off and then we start training again with a focus on the cup matches against FCN.”
About the match, captain Daniel A. Pedersen said: “It was just a fight, because you can’t really play football on a pitch like that. So it was just to try with long balls and fight in the duels and for the 2nd balls. It worked, we won and it was great – we needed that. It’s a good feeling to go on holiday in the league with 3 points. That is incredibly important in relation to the Top-6. We make some mistakes that make them come into the game. But today it was about who was best at playing good high balls forward on the field and then fighting for the 2nd balls. Now we have two fun games against FC Nordsjælland and it is a good feeling to go into those games with 3 points”.
See line-ups, substitutions, warnings and times for goal scoring here.
The next match is the cup match at Right to Dream Park against FC Nordsjælland on Wednesday 6 December at 18:00.
