FC Midtjylland vs Odense

Midtjylland took the lead in the 14th minute through Franculino Djú, the Guinea-Bissau international who scored 17 goals in all competitions last season. The forward collected possession inside the box and finished calmly past the Odense goalkeeper.

Odense responded well and equalised through left-back Adam Sørensen in the 30th minute. The visitors had a player booked three minutes earlier but the setback did not disrupt their rhythm, and Sørensen's finish brought them level.

Parity lasted four minutes. Friday Etim restored Midtjylland's lead in the 34th minute, and the Nigerian winger struck again three minutes later (37') to make it 3-1 before half-time. The quickfire double changed the complexion of the match.

Cho Gue-Sung, the South Korean striker who featured at the 2026 World Cup, converted a penalty in the 77th minute to add a fourth. Midtjylland collected two yellow cards in the second half (50', 89').

Etim's two goals in the space of three minutes (34', 37') swung the match decisively. After Sørensen's equaliser, Odense had momentum. Within 240 seconds, it was gone. The Nigerian winger's brace exposed gaps in the Odense defensive line that had been tightened immediately after the equaliser, and the visitors never recovered.

Friday Etim — two goals in three minutes, his second and third of pre-season after also scoring as a second-half substitute in the 6-0 win over Cardiff City on 11 July. The Nigerian winger has built a strong case for a starting role when the competitive season begins.

Franculino Djú — opened the scoring with a composed finish and his movement across the front line caused persistent problems. The 22-year-old followed up a 17-goal 2025/26 campaign with another pre-season goal.

Cho Gue-Sung — the South Korea international scored from the penalty spot after being introduced from the bench, his first goal of pre-season.

Adam Sørensen (Odense) — the left-back scored Odense's only goal and was one of the few visiting players to offer consistent attacking threat from wide areas.

The 4-1 scoreline suggests a one-sided contest, but the first 30 minutes were competitive. Midtjylland's three goals in a 23-minute spell (14'–37') told the story: clinical finishing rather than sustained dominance. Odense's equaliser was well-taken, and the visitors had spells of possession before the floodgates opened. The second half was controlled without being urgent — a typical pre-season pattern once the result was effectively settled.

Midtjylland's 44 previous meetings with Odense across all competitions have produced 142 goals (3.2 per game), with the home side winning 28 of those. Both teams scored in 66% of those encounters.

This was FC Midtjylland's final pre-season fixture before the 2026–27 Superliga campaign. Mike Tullberg's side had won their previous friendly 6-0 against Cardiff City (11 July) and extended their unbeaten pre-season run. They open the league season away at Sønderjyske on 26 July.

Odense, managed by German coach Alexander Zorniger, begin their Superliga season at Viborg on 24 July. The defensive lapses that allowed Etim to score twice in three minutes will be a concern, but the visitors showed enough in patches to suggest they can be competitive.

A pre-season friendly that served its purpose: Midtjylland's sharp finishing decided the match inside 37 minutes, Odense showed enough in patches to suggest they can be competitive, but the defensive fragility that let Etim score twice in three minutes needs addressing before competitive football resumes.