Toutouh takes Danish Cup to Esbjerg
Thursday, May 9, 2013
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"It was a close and even match but I think we deserved the win," said Esbjerg fB midfielder Magnus Lekven after Youssef Toutouh's header earned his side their third Danish Cup.
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Esbjerg fB won their first Danish Cup since 1978, and their third in total, after Youssef Toutouh's 54th-minute header proved the only goal of today's Copenhagen final against Randers FC.
A 26,194 crowd at the Parken Stadium witnessed an even contest in which Esbjerg had more of the ball, but Randers the best two chances of the first half. Jonas Kamper hit the crossbar after ten minutes, and seven minutes later Nicolai Brock-Madsen found himself with just Esbjerg keeper Lukas Hradecky to beat but was denied by the Finnish international.
However, nine minutes into the second half, winger Toutouh got his head to Martin Braithwaite's cross to put Esbjerg in front, and while Randers turned up the heat, the closest they came to an equaliser was a shot from Ronnie Schwartz which Hradecky saved.
"It was a close and even match, but I think we deserved the win," Esbjerg midfielder Magnus Lekven said. "Randers might have scored when they put on the pressure towards the end, but we defended well and fought extremely hard."
