Fremad Amager v Brabrand IF, Danish division 2

 

Sundby Idrætspark

Fremad Amager 1-0 Brabrand IF
Saturday 21 March 2026, 14:00 kick-off
Danish division 2 (3rd tier)
Sundby Idrætspark
Attendance: 1024

Fremad Amager play on the island of Amager (pronounced Amar) on the south side of Copenhagen. You get there by metro line M1 to Sundby or bus 33 from the city centre. Today's game was a big one for both sides as they are fighting to avoid relegation with Fremad in greater need of points. Fremad Amager (fremad means forward) are a proud working class club with a loyal following but a fairly turbulent history. They hold the national record of three bankruptcies, the latest in 2008 when they had to start again from the very bottom of the Copenhagen local leagues. Founded back in 1910 they have spent most of their time in the second and third tiers but had a brief visit to the top league in 1994 and an appearance in the European Cup Winners' Cup in 1972 after being runners up in the previous year's Danish Cup (lost in the first round to Besa of Albania). Two famous players who started their careers with Fremad are Frank Arnesen and Søren Lerby, stars of the magnificent Danish national team of the late 1970s and early 1980s.

Fremad play in blue and white with the shirt reminding me of Sheffield Wednesday back in the seventies (blue with white sleeves).

Today's visitors were Brabrand, a western suburb of Aarhus. They have spent most of their almost 100 year history in the lower leagues apart from a short visit to division 1 (2nd tier) in 2009. They are also a blue and white team though today they played in a striking orange and white combination.

The ground

Fremad march in to the sound of Kim Larsen's 70s hit Vi er dem (everyone in Denmark knows it)

The beer queue ignores the statue's advice

Once again a large main stand and low terracing opposite as well as a limited running track with only three lanes. I doubt if there are any athletics events here now. The official capacity is 6,000 though the record crowd was 10,000 against rivals Kastrup in 1976. One end has a scaffolding stand and the other end has the barbeque tent and other kiosks. There are some nice details around the ground in the form of athletic statues that seem rather out of place among all the modern advertising and catering.

The terracing side of the ground is known as the sunny side for the simple reason that if the sun is out it shines on that side (today's amazing fact). The main stand is in perpetual shade. The sunny side is where most fans gather amid impressive collections of plastic beer mugs. The atmosphere is very friendly and no signs of masked ultras or fireworks. 

Food and drink

If you've read my last three posts you'll know that the catering at all Danish matches is virtaully the same - sausages, popcorn and a lot of beer. I had a beer this time but had already eaten elsewhere before the match. One kiosk broke the mold by solling crepes with a selection of fillings. Next time I might save myself for one of those.

Not sure what animal the mascot is supposed to be - long-eared wolf, dog, bear ...

The match

Three desperately needed points to the home team and the cheer of relief was very clear at the end. Fremad had the edge and should have scored more than just one goal but their finishing was not as clinical as they might have wished. Symptomatic of teams at the bottom really. Kenneth Zohore missed a couple of sitters but was one of Fremad's best players working hard up front and always looked dangerous.

The only goal of the game came after 23 minutes. An shot/cross from the left found Andreas Bredahl on the far side who shot home. Brabrand had some dangerous attacks and had several chances to equalise but in the end Fremad deserved the win. Not a classic but relegation battles seldom are. The crowd enjoyed their afternoon in the spring sunshine.

Celebrations after the goal

More than football

Amager is not really a tourist hotspot. In the old days it was mostly a working class area with a lot of allotments where city dwellers could cultivate flowers and vegetables and enjoy the summer in the fresh air. Today's Amager features Copenhagen's international airport, Kastrup, and hundreds of flashy business districts, expensive apartment blocks, shopping malls and leafy residential areas. The Øresund tunnel-bridge over to Sweden and the new metro lines have also contributed to the complete transformation of the island since the eighties.