A Date with Danish Destiny

One of six sunny days in CPH per year

Hungarian football is like the girlfriend that cheated on you. You should turn your back, walk away and forget about her. But you cannot help checking out her Facebook status and smirking that she is finding herself in a bad way (that oft-used German word), but still reminiscing, still longing.

Anyway, I have had a date. My third one since I have been in Denmark and the most promising yet (I shall go no further with this analogy for fear of Gyongyi’s wrath, feel free to let your mind wander at this stage).

Still sunny!!

Back with me? You never really left because you probably had no idea what I was talking about. So the date…the Danish Cup Final. As I cast my mind back, I think this is my first ever cup final. At least, the first that I have not been playing in (East Anglia Sunday Youth (EASY) Cup Final in about 1992 versus Clacton United – we lost.)

The venue was Parken (home of FC Kobenhaven and the backdrop to last week’s B93 game) and the teams were FC Kobenhaven and FC Vestjsaelland. Seemed a little unfair that FC Kobenhaven effectively had a home game and with FC Vestjaelland 6/1 outsiders to take home the Landspokalturneringen, there was only one team for me to choose: FC Vestjsaelland.

Given that FCK were overwhelming favourites and increasingly becoming strong favourites for my love and devotion (based on the location of my soon to be rented flat and general opinion of those I speak to), it would seem a bit like cheating if my first game saw the lifting of a trophy. Glory only comes with significant time investment and I was not ready to forego that investment just yet. So FC Vestjsaelland it was.

My adopted team comes from the (delightfully) named Slagelse most famous for its annual hosting of the Danish Sidecarcross Grand Prix (an equally insane and hilarious sport as you can see below)

Anyhow, it seemed like the Slags (as I shall inappropriately call them) had turned out in force occupying and end and a corner of Parken (more about Parken when I put FCK to the Matrix of Truth) bedecked in red and blue and with accompanying tifo (red and blue ticker tape). After wondering around looking for an appropriate spot, I took my place at the back of the lower tier, a position that allowed full-time standing (lucky given the giant I had positioned myself behind).

 

The game was preceded by a less than rousing rendition of the Danish national anthem (’There is a Lovely Country‘). Luckily they put the words on the Jumbotron (bet you’ve not seen that word for a while). Unluckily, the spoken Danish language has limited connection with the written form.

Carlsberg is not a lyric in the Danish anthem

FCV (pronounced Oooh-oooh-wooouh I think) started fairly promisingly and FCK (pronounced Oooh-oooh-kooouh) seemed to have been struck by the complacency bug. FCV took a lead from a glancing header after a free-kick swung in from the right making the role of the most-homoerotic loudspeaker man somewhat redundant. Half-time came and the FCV fans celebrated like the cup was theirs. Danger.

This would have kept Gy occupied

FCK scored a minute or two after half-time from a corner and then took the lead a handful of minutes later to the delight of the impressive locals (there was much dancing). FCV huffed and puffed much to despair of the man boy I found myself next to. To put it politely (and possibly not in a PC manner), he was not quite all there. He constant shouting of ‘Kom nu’ (I assume Come On) became increasingly irritating. However, I felt his pain. I am sure I have annoyed those around me futilely pleading for Spurs to beat Arsenal from 1993 to about 2004. This was probably a once in a generation opportunity for the Slags to take the Danish Cup home with them. This was all or nothing.

Did I say in vain? (Ultimately, it was), but an 88^th minute equaliser sent us all into blue and red ecstasy and the game into extra time. Was I going to see a penalty shoot-out?

Giant has seat seized by ‘Kom nu’ boy

No. FCK scored a goal on about 100 minutes to make it 3-2 and never looked in trouble thereafter. FCV ran out of steam, but they gave their all and FCK an almighty scare.

I left after showing my appreciation. Trophy collecting with FCK will wait for another day. Or will it? The Matrix of Truth will reveal all. Next week.

To swing back to my analogy, I got a peck on the cheek, but I am not sure I will be seeing this date again. MTK is still on my mind.