RECAP: WEEKEND DANISH ACTION David Smith - Monday, November 2, 2009
Benny Feilhaber and Jeremiah White both earned the start for Aarhus as dropped points in the last minute to Midtjylland while Michael Parkhurst went the distance in a losing effort for Nordsjælland.
AGF Aarhus 2 - 2 FC Midtjylland
Jeremiah White and Benny Feilhaber bookended the Aarhus midfield on Sunday against Midtjylland, as the team saw victory slip from their hands in the last minute thanks to an own-goal by central defender Jens Gjesing.
With both teams seeing their early-season fortunes headed in opposite directions, the hosts started out on the offensive, harassing the Wolves' goal with shots and heavy pressure throughout the first half-hour.
Peter Graulund looked to have given Aarhus a reason to be optimistic of ending their two-game losing streak in the 29th minute, heading in a perfect cross on the run from Dioh Williams for the lead.
The advantage held until the 72nd minute, when Danny Olsen took the ball at the right corner of the Aarhus penalty area, beat keeper Steffen Rassmussen in the box and fired his tight-angled shot from near the endline into goal for the equalizer.
Shortly after, Feilhaber left the game in the 75th in favor of Davit Devdariani while White made way for Jerry Lucena seven minutes later.
Twelve minutes later, Williams stormed into the right side of the Midtjylland box and sent a low shot towards the near post, which defender Winston Reid deflected up high for a looping own-goal to gift Aarhus the seeming victory.
Their celebrations were short-lived, however, as a long kick towards goal by Midtjylland keeper Arek Onyszko as injury time expired was inexplicably headed by Gjesing sharply into his own goal, so give the surprise equalizer back to the Wolves and giving Aarhus a tie that surely feels like a loss.
Midtjylland's Danny Califf was not included in the roster for the game.
Aarhus maintain their sixth-place standing with the point, but will expect to notch up a win on their trip to 11th-place Køge on Saturday.
The Wolves will likely extend their current five-game streak without a loss when they host still-winless Randers on Sunday.
FC Nordsjælland 0 - 1 Brøndby IF
Michael Parkhurst kept his place in Nordsjælland's central defense, going the distance as they fell at home in a narrow loss to Brøndby on Sunday.
After gaining some degree of momentum from last weekend's big win over Aarhus, Parkhurst and his teammates were hoping to keep their streak going against fourth-place Brøndby to avoid easily falling into another rut.
The visitors took up a defensive stance for the game, absorbing pressure from the Wild Tigers while limiting their own push towards goal.
Nordsjælland's Rawez Lawan wasted a fine chance in the fifth minute firing over goal on a clear shot, in what marked an afternoon of wastefulness and sloppy play by the hosts.
Facing the team with whom he had begun the season, Brøndby's Martin Bernburg rose above the crowd in the box to blindly head a free kick from Thomas Rassmussen into goal, his first since joining the team in August, giving the visitors the lead.
Lawan and South African veteran Sibusiso Zuma kept pressure on for the second half hoping to create an equalizer, but were unable break down the Brøndby defense, as the team was forced to go without a point for the fifth time in their last six league games.
The loss drops the Wild Tigers into the last non-relegation spot at 10th, still safely seven points ahead of Køge. They will look to turn their fortunes around on their trip to SønderjyskE on Sunday.
Notes
Marcus Tracy has been included in Aalborg's squad as they travel to league leaders Odense on Monday, with the embarrassment of last Thursday's Danish Cup loss to 2nd Division team Hobro still fresh in their heads.
Jamil Fearrington was suspended and did not take part as Roskilde inched closer to the relegation zone on Sunday with their 4-0 blowout loss at home to Lyngby.
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