AB played a training match against FA 2000 today, Saturday, January 17, on an excellent artificial turf pitch on Jens Jessens Vej in Frederiksberg. It was the first of six training matches before the tournament starts in March, and it was a really good training match where the players got some running in their legs and also played some good football.

The match ended with a 3-0 victory for AB. Although the result is not the most important thing in such a training match, but that it is more about the process in the run-up, a victory always feels good. AB’s goals were scored by Marco Ramkilde in the 1st half and Milan Silva Rasmussen and Casper Grening in the 2nd half.

It was a match with a new team in each half, as head coach Fannar Berg Gunnólfsson had also announced before the match. Søren Ilsøe and Ægir Jarl Jónasson played one and a half halves and Mikkel Brund played the entire match.
The two new players each got their own half. In the first half, Travian Sousa (21) played at left back and in the second half, Milan Silva Rasmussen (18) played right up front. They both showed really good signs.

AB’s line-up in the first half
In goal was Adam Benediktson, right back Frederik Lindgaard, in central defense Marc Dal Hende and Mikkel Brund, left back Travian Sousa and in midfield Ægir Jarl Jónasson and Søren Ilsøe. On the left wing was Jonathan Mathys and on the right wing Tobias Hageltorn. Up front played Emil Mygind and Marco Ramkilde.

Match progress in the 1st half
AB pressed with great intensity and after just 6 minutes Marco Ramkilde was able to score to take the lead 1-0 after a couple of passes in the area. FA 2000 had their first real chance when they got a corner after 10 minutes. However, the ball was headed out of the danger zone by AB’s defense. Tobias Hageltorn was sent off from his own half with a long pass. FA 2000’s goalkeeper had run far out of the area, and Tobias Hageltorn had a huge chance to score. Unfortunately, the ball hit the goalkeeper’s leg.

There was good pace in the game, and good opportunities arose. Ægir Jarl Jónasson had a cannon shot after 20 minutes, which unfortunately ended up on the crossbar. Just under 10 minutes later, Ægir Jarl Jónasson was again close to scoring when he intercepted a pass from FA 2000’s goalkeeper. Jónasson finished towards an empty goal, but an FA 2000 player came to and miraculously saved on the goal line.

FA 2000 pushed the game further up the pitch, but the score was still a 1-0 lead to AB at half-time. It was after a half where AB dominated the game and stood well on the pitch. AB had good pressure and played the ball out well to the wings with subsequent dangerous crosses.

AB’s line-up in the second half
In goal was Marcus Bobjerg, right back Tobias Damtoft, in central defense Mikkel Brund and Anton Boye (U19), left back was Noah Poulsen and in midfield Søren Ilsøe and Alfred Horup. On the left wing was Casper Grening and right wing O’Vonte Mullings. Up front played Noah Engell and Milan Silva Rasmussen.

Match progress in the 2nd half
FA 2000 quickly gave up the ball after the referee started the 2nd half. They quickly got forward on the left wing and a cross gave them a good opportunity to finish, but the shot ended up on the post.

O’Vonte Mullings moved from the wing into the area and played back to Søren Ilsøe, but his shot went past the goal. After 5 minutes, Milan Silva Rasmussen was alone with FA 2000’s goalkeeper and finished. The goalkeeper parried the ball, but at the same moment collided with his own defender, and the ball rolled towards the goal. Milan Silva Rasmussen gave the ball the final push into the goal to take the lead 2-0.

There was good combination play between Milan Silva Rasmussen, Noah Engell and Søren Ilsøe. After 16 minutes, Tobias Damtoft put on the pace on the wing and played O’Vonte Mullings into the area. He played to Casper Grening, who came from the opposite side of the area and was able to shoot the ball into the goal to take the lead 3-0 after excellent build-up play.
During the half, Ægir Jarl Jónasson came back on the pitch and replaced Søren Ilsøe. Mathias Sommer (U19) came on the pitch and replaced Noah Poulsen at left back. The two U19 players Anton Boye and Mathias Sommer both made a good and positive impression.

In the final stages of the match, Noah Engell sent a pass out to the left side, where Milan Silva Rasmussen got to the ball close to the sideline just before the goalkeeper could kick it away. Milan Silva Rasmussen shot the ball into the area, where O’Vonte Mullings arrived a little too late to poke the ball into the goal.

Head coach Fannar Berg Gunnolfsson saw what he had wanted to see: “It was a good start and a good match. There were many good minutes, although we also made some technical and tactical mistakes. We moved on well, and overall I am very happy in all areas. They were two quite different halves, where we changed the team so that everyone got playing time. At the same time, I also wanted to see different structures and that of course gave different halves. Everyone gave their part, and we especially wanted to see energy, a powerful expression and teamwork from this match, and everyone brought that into the match. So it was a really good start,” concludes Head Coach Fannar Berg Gunnólfsson.

The next training match will be played on Saturday 24 January at 12.00 against HB Køge away.