Goal fest ends in first defeat of the season

Saturday afternoon saw another match at Køge Idrætspark, just a few days after HB Køge Women secured their place in the league phase of the UEFA Women’s Champions League with a 2-1 aggregate victory over PSV Eindhoven.

This time, FC Nordsjælland were the opponents – a team that has developed a habit of producing entertaining and high-scoring encounters with the Swans. Saturday’s match was certainly no exception.

The game had barely kicked off before the opening goal arrived. Just over two minutes had been played when Kyra Carusa put FC Nordsjælland under pressure as they attempted to play out from a goal kick. She won possession and found Nadia Nadim, who took one touch to set herself before calmly firing the ball into the net to make it 1-0.

Just a few minutes later, Nadia Nadim was on target again. The clock was approaching the five-minute mark when Jereko won possession and played the ball into the feet of Kyra Carusa. With a first-time pass, she found Nadia Nadim, who produced a brilliant long-range strike to make it 2-0. A dream start for the Swans.

However, the visitors from FC Nordsjælland were quick to respond. After eight and a half minutes, Safi N’Sira picked up the ball, dribbled past two HB Køge Women players and fired into the net, leaving Lauren Kozal with no chance. That made it 2-1 inside the opening ten minutes.

Before the teams headed into the break, Safi N’Sira was on target again. She received the ball on the right side of the penalty area, cut inside onto her left foot and hammered it into the far corner to make it 2-2, which remained the score at half-time.

At the start of the second half, HB Køge Women once again came out strongest. Less than five minutes had been played when a corner from Mille Gejl found Nadia Nadim, who headed towards goal. The FC Nordsjælland goalkeeper managed to tip the ball onto the crossbar, but the rebound fell to Simone Boye, who used her thigh to steer it over the line for 3-2.

Around five minutes later, the Swans made it 4-2. Nadia Nadim was involved once again, finding substitute Emelía Óskarsdóttir completely unmarked inside the penalty area. Emelía somewhat awkwardly managed to take the ball past the goalkeeper, but kept control and was able to finish into the empty net.

During the final half-hour, FC Nordsjælland increased the pressure. At the same time, fatigue began to show among the HB Køge Women players following a busy schedule at the start of the season.

First, Safi N’Sira completed her hat-trick to reduce the deficit to 4-3 before Sery Grace Ruth equalised at 4-4. Flora Højer then put the visitors ahead at 4-5, before Thea Petersen sealed the result in stoppage time with the goal to make it 4-6.

The result marked HB Køge Women’s first defeat of the season. Despite the loss, the Swans remain near the top of the A-Liga standings.

HB Køge Women are back in action already on Tuesday, when the Swans begin their defence of the Danish Women’s Cup. The team travels to North Zealand, where Fredensborg BI await in the second round.

Kick-off is at 17:45.

Watch the match highlights here:

HB Køge Women 4-6 FC Nordsjælland
1-0 Nadia Nadim (3’)
2-0 Nadia Nadim (5’)
2-1 Safi N’Sira (9’)
2-2 Safi N’Sira (39’)
3-2 Simone Boye (50’)
4-2 Emelía Óskarsdóttir (55’)
4-3 Safi N’Sira (62’)
4-4 Sery Grace Ruth (65’)
4-5 Flora Højer (70’)
4-6 Thea Petersen (90’)

HB Køge Women starting XI
66. Lauren Kozal
2. Maria Uhre
3. Macy Schultz
7. Kyra Carusa
9. Nadia Nadim
13. Catherine Paulson
17. Rikke Marie Madsen
23. Mille Gejl
28. Simone Boye
32. Emma Flick
33. Jereko

HB Køge Women substitutions
Augusta Callesen for Emma Flick (46’)
Emelía Óskarsdóttir for Rikke Marie Madsen (46’)
Sarah Thygesen for Catherine Paulson (46’)
Samantha Williams for Nadia Nadim (68’)
Yukina Sakabe for Kyra Carusa (68’)

HB Køge Women – FC Nordsjælland, 4-6
A-Liga, Matchday 6
Saturday, 5 September, 13:00
Køge Idrætspark, attendance: 361