Another step on the rocky road to glory

12 months after their gripping display against FB, CBS Sport raised the bar by taking AB Tårnby to overtime in the 3rd preliminary round of the 2016 Danish Cup

The roar was deafening. Every person in the stands at Frederiksberg Stadium that Wednesday evening was on their feet, fists clenched and hearts pounding. As the players piled up in celebration following CBS Sport’s goal in the 89th minute to draw the game 2-2, the ovation from the crowd was full of both excitement and recognition. Excitement that we are still in with a chance; could still walk away as victors. Recognition for once again playing 90 minutes against a team three leagues above and holding our ground.

Such a display did not seem likely in the run-up to the match. Beating a weak Series 5 team on a bumpy pitch in Kløvermarken 1-0 in the first round, followed by a hard-fought 1-0 victory against league rivals FC Culpa, hardly seemed inspiring enough for CBS Sport to be able to match a top team from Danmarksserien. Although AB Tårnby were unlikely to bring their strongest line-up, given their fight for promotion to Denmark’s third-highest league, with CBS Sport only boasting a place in the middle of Series 2, they would have their work cut out for them.

And work they did. In front of an energetic crowd, well nourished by beers and sausages from the CBS Sport-operated stall (another CBS Sport milestone), CBS Sport was seemingly on an uphill struggle from the first whistle. After a shaky start, in which only the post prevented an early AB Tårnby lead, a post-corner scramble saw the ball lobbed into the back of the net and CBS Sport found themselves 0-1 down after 20 minutes. A clinical counter-attack 10 minutes before the interval saw CBS Sport equal the score, and at half time there was still everything to play for. However, only minutes after the break, an AB Tårnby shot deflected off a defender and cruelly bounced into the opposite side of the goal. A harsh blow leaving CBS Sport a mountain to climb once more. AB Tårnby looked like they would bring it home following an even hard-fought second half, but with minutes left on the clock, Theis’ long throw-in into the box was headed on by Ivar and landed at the feet of Marco. The nr. 9 took a step past a defender and resolutely rifled it into the back of the net.

Once again, CBS Sport held their own against a formidable opponent and, alas, once again CBS Sport came up short of the final victory. This time 30 minutes of overtime was enough to find a winner. A ruthless AB Tårnby side needed only 2 minutes to gain the advantage for the third time in the match with a hard low cross from the left finding the well-timed run of an attacker at the front post to slot home without chance for Malte. The combination of that mental blow, physical fatigue and pushing more players forward to gain the equalizer meant an additional two goals for AB Tårnby, before individual brilliance from Manuel in the final seconds pulled one back for the final score of 5-3.

12 months on from the infamous cup match against FB and we stand here with conflicting emotions yet again. We would gladly have taken this result prior to the match, and the verdict when the dust settles will also be positive, but after standing in the stadium during that 2-2 goal one has to have a bitter taste of disappointment and longing for what could have been. It is those feelings, however, which make sport worthwhile. Feelings borne from moments like that 2-2 goal where that small glitter of hope you secretly cling to, having been reduced to a faint spark throughout the game, suddenly bursts into flame with that vicious strike and the roar from the stands. With it comes the thrill of excitement and the joy of the unexpected when a small student-based football club rocks the establishment. The scalp may have eluded us once again, but the day’s efforts have raised the bar and shown everyone present that their hopes and beliefs in both the team and the club are justified. And having proven last year was not a one-off event, perhaps its allows everyone to dream slightly higher for next year as we will attempt to come back and do one better.

See the match programme here and the cool photos here.

Frederiksberg Bladet also brought an article. Find it here (in Danish) on page 35.