Danish League Recap: AGF Striker Hits Landmark Achievement as FC Copenhagen Ends Streak

A single penalty conversion was sufficient for FC Copenhagen to secure all three points in their high-stakes encounter against FC Midtjylland. Meanwhile, Patrick Mortensen continued to impress with his scoring ability in Aarhus, Vejle surprised many by drawing with Brondby, and Sonderjyske struggled to contain the formidable attack of FC Nordsjælland in the second round of the Danish Superliga following the league’s resumption.

The local media had a field day criticising AGF for extending the contract of 35-year-old striker Patrick Mortensen. However, since then, Mortensen has proven to be a valuable asset for the Aarhus outfit, netting an impressive five goals for Uwe Rösler’s team since the league’s restart.

Over the weekend, he achieved a remarkable hat-trick as Sonderjyske suffered a 4-1 defeat in Haderslev, and on Sunday, he scored twice in a resounding 4-0 victory against AaB in the classic Jutland derby, bringing his tally to 100 goals for AGF in the process.

This match marked AGF’s first outing in their temporary new stadium in Vejlby, which has a capacity of 12,000 spectators and will host all their fixtures until their new ground is completed next year. Following this win, AGF solidified their third position on the Danish Superliga table, trailing only behind leaders FC Copenhagen and FC Midtjylland.

After their initial fixture against AaB was postponed due to a frozen pitch, FC Nordsjælland registered their first three points of the spring season with a dramatic 3-2 victory, significantly damaging Sonderjyske’s chances of avoiding relegation.

Sonderjyske appeared threatening mainly from set pieces and unexpectedly took the lead in the 22nd minute when Lirim Qamili reacted swiftly to convert a rebound. However, this lead sparked the home side into action, and within five minutes, FC Nordsjælland had surged ahead, thanks to two goals from Mario Dorgeles and Levy Nene.

Sonderjyske struggled to apply sufficient pressure on FC Nordsjælland’s renowned fluid gameplay, and after an hour, the visitors paid the price again as Matti Olsen extended the lead for the home side. Although Maxime Soulas offered Sonderjyske a glimmer of hope late on, it was not enough, and the home team secured the three points.

Most pundits would not have anticipated Vejle, currently languishing at the bottom of the league, to make a successful escape from relegation following a chaotic restart that saw them sack coach Mihai Teja, replace him with Steffen Kielstrup, and undergo a change in ownership within two weeks.

However, Vejle showcased immediate improvements with a surprising 1-0 victory away to Silkeborg. On Sunday, they once again demonstrated they should not be underestimated by drawing 2-2 at home against Brondby. German striker Onugkha surprisingly gave Vejle the lead just five minutes after the interval, before Japanese forward Yuito Suzuki responded with a quick brace.

In the dying moments, Onugkha ensured at least a share of the spoils for the home side by successfully converting a penalty.

FC Copenhagen claimed victory over their long-time rivals FC Midtjylland for the first time in three years during their Sunday showdown for top spot in the Danish Superliga.

With Jacob Neestrup suspended, FC Copenhagen’s assistant coach Stefan Madsen took the reins and witnessed a frenetic first half. Robert Silva should have given the home side the lead in the 22nd minute, but he somehow failed to convert from close range.

The visitors also came close to breaking the deadlock just before half-time, with Kevin Mbabu’s header ricocheting off the crossbar. The decisive moment came eight minutes after the break when Magnus Mattson converted a penalty awarded after a VAR review revealed Oliver Sørensen had stepped on Mattson’s foot during an incident in the box.