Abu Francis was shown a red card in the 93rd minute of the game agaisnt FC Nordsjaelland
For the first time in his professional career, Abu Francis was sent off as FC Nordsjaelland secured a 2-0 away win over Sonderjyske in Monday’s Danish Superliga outing.
Abu Francis, playing his third game in the 2021-22 campaign, the 20-year-old was shown the way out by referee Jens Maae.
A dangerous tackle on Duplexe Tchamba in the 93rd minute saw him red-carded – thus, seeing Flemming Pedersen’s team reduced to 10 men.
Francis was initially cautioned by Maae; however, VAR replays adjudged that the former Right to Dream player had launched a risky attack on the Cameroonian defender.
Unbeaten in their last two games in all competitions, Sonderjyske welcomed the Tigers to the Sydbank Park in Haderslev.
The fixture got off to a flying start with both teams creating numerous scoring opportunities. However, they were unable to find the net thanks to the brilliance of goalkeepers Lawrence Thomas and Peter Jensen.
Nevertheless, it was the visiting side who took the initiative on the stroke of half-time courtesy of Oliver Villadsen, who slotted the ball past goalkeeper Lawrence.
Like a house on fire, the hosts approached the last 45 minutes full of determination, yet they were poor in the final third.
Even at the introduction of Julius Eskesen, Kristofer Kristinsson and Nigeria’s Rilwan Hassan in the 67th minute, Michael Boris’ men lacked the cutting edge.
With five minutes left on the clock, super-sub Simon Adingra sealed the win with a fine finish. That was the Ivorian winger’s first goal of the current campaign.
Adingra’s compatriot Mohammed Diomande was named in the starting XI, but he was substituted for Danish midfielder Jacob Christensen in the 84th minute.
Also, Ghana’s Lasso Coulibaly, who started in the midfield, was replaced by countryman Ibrahim Sadiq in the 76th minute.
Elsewhere, Ghana’s Clinton Antwi and Denmark youth international of Nigerian descent Tochi Chukwuani were unused substitutes.
Following this away result, Nordsjaelland are now third in the Superliga log, having accrued four points from three games, while Sonderjyske dropped to seventh with the same number of points – although with an inferior goal difference.
Francis will be absent when manager Pedersen’s Tigers welcome Odense BK to the Right to Dream Park in their next outing on August 9.