In glorious sun and with wind along the pitch, 661 spectators turned up on Saturday until the last match of the 2024-2025 season. The match had no impact on further advancement, neither for the home team Næstved nor AB Gladsaxe. Of all the teams, AB has picked up the most points in the promotion play-offs after today’s game, and that is worth taking with them.

There was great support when Næstved said goodbye to several players. On the stands there was also a great turnout of AB supporters, who with the usual great support supported the team.

True sportsmanship showed AB’s players when they, together with the spectators and the Næstved players, tactfully applauded Næstved’s captain Jesper Christiansen from the field at the end of the match after more than ten years of service.

AB’s starting line-up
AB had to disregard Mikkel Brund, who was out with quarantine for the match. Mikkel Brund was replaced in midfield by Ægir Jarl Jonasson, who last time out against Middelfart played at the very top. Tobias Hageltorn started inside and was right up front next to Noah Engell. Noah Poulsen got his first starting spot in the 1st team, when he replaced Rasmus Brodersen at left back. On the left wing, Yushi Yamaya started and Casper Grening took a seat on the bench.

AB’s starting line-up was Nicholas Christoffersen in goal, in central defence Noah Ibsen and Adrien Koudelka and on the right side of defence was Steven Simpson and on the left side Noah Poulsen.
In the central midfield were Søren Ilsøe (C) and Ægir Jarl Jonasson. On the wings Yushi Yamaya and O’Vonte Mullings, and on top Tobias Hageltorn played next to Noah Engell.

The match as it went
Already after one minute and ten seconds, AB got a corner kick – then the game was on. AB pressed high and won the duels. Two minutes later, Søren Ilsøe had the chance to make the nets flutter on a really good shot, but the ball went past the goal. A cross five minutes later to Noah Engell had the same benefit.
AB’s attack was flexible, with O’Vonte Mullings often lying right up front in the middle and Noah Engell sliding out on the right wing.

Only after twelve minutes of play did Næstved have their first opportunity, but it did not turn into a real chance. After a good combination, Næstved got another chance just two minutes later, but the ball went close to the goal.
After twenty minutes, Steven Simpson dribbled into the box, and his finish went past Næstved’s goalkeeper, but a Næstved player shot the ball away almost on the line. Yushi Yamaya took several sprints on the edge and hit good crosses from the back line.

A cross shot to the back post, where Tobias Hageltorn got the ball under control, and played back to Steven Simpson, who shot, but Næstved’s goalkeeper boxed the ball out into the box, where O’Vonte Mullings tried a scissor kick – unfortunately the ball did not end up in the goal. Again a few minutes later, Yushi Yamaya again sent a good cross over the middle, but unfortunately Tobias Hageltorn headed over the goal.
After half an hour of play, Næstved got an opportunity with a finish almost from the back line, but Nicholas Christoffersen, who handled AB’s goal today, had no problems at all in today’s game.

The first substitution came after 37 minutes, when Casper Grening took over on the left wing from Yushi Yamaya.
Shortly before the break, it was Casper Grening who served Noah Engell with a good cross into the box, but Noah Engell headed the ball over the goal.

From the start of the 2nd half, Mikkel Nielsen replaced the young and slightly injured Noah Poulsen, who had played a good 1st half at left back, where of course there were also challenges.
The break had done AB good and there were several opportunities where Casper Grening was still a threat on the edge. Unfortunately, it did not yield a goal despite fine finishes close to Næstved’s goal. Næstved probably had a single opportunity in that period, and an otherwise good cross ended up past the goal. Ægir Jarl Jónasson was also in the mood to play, but despite several chances to score on headers, it was not today that he was going to get on the scoresheet.

With about twenty minutes left, Osama Murshed made his debut on the 1st senior, when Tobias Hageltorn went out. Osama Murshed took over the left wing and made a nice jump. Casper Grening moved in as a front striker. At the same time, Frederik Lindgaard replaced Steven Simpson and took over at right-back.
Adrien Koudelka also tried, but his finish with his head was quite close over the goal.
Nicholas Christoffersen showed that he feared nothing when he went out into the field between friends and foes and grabbed the ball.
After 86 minutes, Alfred Peter Horup replaced Ægir Jarl Jonasson in central midfield.

FINALLY the goal came after 89 minutes of play, when Noah Engell got hold of the ball in Næstved’s defensive zone – he played Casper Grening, who safely scored to make it 1-0, which was the result of the match.

Captain Søren Ilsøe says that AB was overall on the match.

For the first half hour, both teams are waiting, and we are also too passive. We get better and better during the half. We get a really good pep talk in the break – now we have to slam through in the 2nd half. It helps – they don’t get a leg to the ground! We win the duels and play around them. They stand a lot in front of their own field and parry.

We do what we have done in the last 7-8 games. We are intense, play hard and play fast. The opponents just have a hard time figuring that out. We are dominant in the main game, we are dominant on the ball, we are strong in the pressing game, and overall it says AB on the match.

There will be several young players in the match today. It is then the team’s job to help the young players and communicate with them. We must give them directions, praise them and allow them to make mistakes. I don’t think you could see that there were U19 players at all today. It did not affect the level in any way. They all play a really good game, and it’s great to see that the academy is running so well.

Now we are going on vacation and our physical trainer Fabiana Alcala, has as always prepared an off season program for us. We need to relax, but also get ready for the start of training in July,” Søren Ilsøe concludes.

Head coach Joey Gudjonsson highlights the hard work that has been put in by the players.

“There was quite a lot of wind today and the pitch was dry, so it didn’t make it easy to play. They showed a lot of respect for us by defending deep in the field. We still created 2-3 chances to score. Especially when we came out after the break, the players’ attitude was good and we dominated the game both with and without the ball. They didn’t have any decisive chances in the game, and we probably should have scored more goals.

But most importantly, we won again – five games in a row have we now won? We are in good shape and there is so much character among a lot of good players in the team. It is the feeling of the victories that we have asked the players to take into next season. Several academy players have come in during this period, and they have all done well.

It was a strong end to this season and I can only congratulate the players because they have worked so hard. We have succeeded in creating the good culture we have now, and we will build on what we have achieved in the last five games. We are the team that has scored the most points in the playoffs and we have scored the most goals this season. So there are a lot of good things that have succeeded,” concludes Joye Gudjonsson.

There is now holiday time until 11 July 2025, when the start of the 2025-2026 season begins.