Struggling FC Copenhagen secure Conference League spot after extra-time drama in Brondby

FC Copenhagen had the last laugh in a high-intensity derby at Brondby Stadium and secured their place in European football next season.

After an extra-time drama in the playoff match for the Conference League qualification, FC Copenhagen won 3-1 against Brondby. Brondby already seemed down and out when Mayckel Lahdo was sent off, but the home side forced the match into extra time with a late equalizer. 

However, it was the much-maligned German striker Youssoufa Moukoko who scored the decisive goals and saved some of FCK's honour after a poor season, in which the club ended up in the Superliga's relegation play-off for the first time.

With the derby triumph, FC Copenhagen enters the Conference League qualification when the new season kicks off.

Brondby ended the season completely empty-handed. The club barely managed to climb to fourth place in the Superliga and thus kept their hopes of Europe alive. But FC Copenhagen extinguished that hope in the sunshine at Brondby Stadium.

Copenhagen derbies are rarely dominated by graceful football, and this edition was no exception. But it was entertaining, nervous, and highly exciting, even though no goals were scored in the first half.

The tide turned in FC Copenhagen's favour after 67 minutes, when Mayckel Lahdo was sent off for stamping on Thomas Delaney. FC Copenhagen then made the most of their numerical advantage ten minutes later when Aurélio Buta burst into the Brondby box and blasted the ball past Brondby keeper Pastrick Pentz from a narrow angle. 

However, just three minutes later, Brondby managed to restore parity when Mads Froekjaer stole the ball from Junnosuke Suzuki and found space to slot the ball past Dominik Kotarski. 

But the red card was to prove costly for the home side. The team gradually lost steam in the decisive phase in extra time, and Youssoufa Moukoko took advantage of that to restore the Copenhagen lead with with a neat backheel finish.

The Brondby supporters were briefly in heaven again close to the final whistle when Jordi Vanlerberghe hammered the ball into the top right hand corner, but the goal was disallowed for offside after a lengthy VAR check. And then Moukoko put the final nail in the Brondby coffin.