DANISH CUP QUARTERFINAL DRAW David Smith - Friday, October 30, 2009
The draw for the quarterfinals of the Danish Cup has been made, with Michael Parkhurst and Nordsjælland taking on Silkeborg in one of two all-Superliga matchups.
A number of unexpected upsets in the just-completed fourth round involving Denmark's typical heavyweights has left the competition a wide open affair, with only two teams in the upper half of the Superliga still contending for the Ekstra Bladet trophy.
SønderjyskE's shocking 5-0 dismantling of holders Copenhagen and a surprise 2-1 upset by 2nd Division club Hobro IK over runners-up Aalborg have left current league leaders Odense as the only clear favorites in the final eight.
Parkhurst and Nordsjælland were fortunate to avoid Odense for their quarterfinal matchup, however will face their first test against a fellow team in the top tier when they travel to Silkeborg IF.
The Wild Tigers reached the quarterfinals by way of their unconvincing 5-1 win over seventh-tier team AIK 65 Strøby, while Silkeborg knocked off First Division team Viborg FF in a 3-1 win.
Danny Califf and Midtjylland have perhaps the easiest road to the semifinals, facing a visit to Hobro, who stunned a nearly full-strength Aalborg team in the fourth round's final game, sending Marcus Tracy and his teammates crashing out of the competition.
The Wolves themselves put on a show in their own game, going on the road to embarrass current third-place Esbjerg by a 5-0 score, and have identified a cup victory as one of their main goals of the season, and possibly their only route back into European competition.
Califf may no longer be in the picture by the time early-April's quarterfinal matchups roll around, however, as he has been deemed surplus by coach Allan Kuhn, and is likely to be shipped off during the winter.
The quarterfinal round is scheduled to take place in the spring, during the week of April 8, 2010.
Danish Cup quarterfinal draw
Hobro - FC Midtjylland
Silkeborg - FC Nordsjælland
Vejle - SønderjyskE
HB Køge - OB.
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