Sunday 25th February 2024 – AGF 2 FC Midtjyllland 3 – Danish SuperLiga – Cere Park, Århus, Denmark

Football is a game of two halves of 45 minutes, but recent changes to the laws of the game Often means that a match will end up lasting an extra 10 or 15 minutes. As Sunday’s SuperLiga’s game entered the 104th minute AGF were laying siege to the FC Midtjylland goal who were defending with their nine men, eight if you exclude the limping right back. The home side had failed to build on a dominant first half performance, having to rely on a 76th minute Patrick Mortensen penalty to bring them back on level terms.

The away side were hanging on for a point, throwing themselves into every challenge, trying to see out the final minute of the sixth added minute. but then from somewhere the Brazilian substitute Charles broke through the middle and a ball was laid up on a plate for him and he dinked the ball over the AGF keeper to score. The Brazilian was booked for his celebration but no manager would begrudge that (it would’ve been amusing if he’d already been on a yellow though). The eight fit men from Herning had pulled off the most remarkable result.

Rewind a couple of hours and I’d arrived from Vejle by train. I resisted the temptations of a cab, wanting to see a bit of Denmark’s second city. It’s a fair trek out to Ceres Park from the city centre but as darkness fell, AGF fans made their way on buses, bikes and on foot to one of the oldest stadiums in Denmark, first used for athletics by Aarhus Gymnastikforening, or AGF, in 1919.

Located next to Tivoli, the family funfair, the ground has gone through numerous redevelopments through the years, but it is only now that the conversion from a multi-sports venue to a dedicated football stadium is happening. The straits of the athletics track has already disappeared, with the pitch moved 10 metres south to accommodate the new stand rising on the far side. For now, the fans fill the two tiers that sweep around the rest of the pitch.

AGF are five-times winners of the Danish Championship, their golden period coming from 1954 to 1961 where they won four championships and four Danish Cups. In 1961 they reached the quarter final of the then European Cup, where they lost to Barcelona. But since 1996 when they won the last of their ninth Danish Cup’s they have been trophy-less. A third place finish last season was somewhat of a surprise, but having built a platform, they were looking to push on this season, coming into the game against 3rd place FC Midtjylland in 5th place.

The visitors, one of the only sides able to occasionally break the Copenhagen dominance in the last fifteen years, were looking to go top of the table, in a very close three-way fight with the big two from the Danish capital. They had come in their numbers, making the hour journey from the west, and had arrived with a heavy police presence.

Below the main curve tier various grills had been set up cooking meaty sausages and kebabs. The craft beer scene had also managed to muscle its way in to the traditional domestic brewing scene so there was an alternative to the Ceres on offer. Big (litre) of a Danish IPA and a kebab in hand I headed up to the top tier in time for the club anthem, a tad on the long side, to be belted out.

It was a cracking game with the home side ahead thanks to a 9th minute Mortensen penalty, awarded after the first of six decisions that went to VAR – AGF’s impressive winger Anderson initially being given a yellow for diving before it was overturned and the foul given. In total there were 37 shots in the game, with 16 on target, with the majority coming in the opening forty five minutes. But you have to take your chances and AGF were guilty of not doing that, allowing the visitors back in the game in injury time from the penalty spot.

Three minutes into the second half and Midtjylland had the lead in the most bizarre of circumstances. A corner was sliced clear and looked to be going out for another but bounced with huge backspin, fooled the defence and Han-beom tapped home at the near post. Their delight lasted all of sixty seconds though before Paulinho was shown a second yellow card.

The home side pressed and pressed but needed another VAR decision to equalise. A challenge in the area was deemed fair by the referee on,y for the video assistant to ask the referee to look again. He changed his mind, awarded the penalty and sent off Ingason for the challenge. Mortensen scored and set up an enthralling final 15 minutes.

Nobody was going anywhere in the ground, with there seemingly only one winner but that late late goal by Charles saw the flares come out 8n the away end and the home fans leave by the nearest exit. Football,eh?