Vejle vs Randers FC

A diagonal gale swept across VB Parken for the second pre-season friendly of the summer for both sides. Randers had the wind at their backs in the first half but failed to make it count. The opening 45 minutes were tight and physical — a rare quality for a pre-season fixture — but produced few clear chances. Ousseynou Fall Seck fired just wide from close range, and Wahid Faghir was blocked twice in stoppage time as the sides went in goalless.

Vejle broke the deadlock in the 54th minute. Christian Sørensen's inswinging corner from the right found centre-back Stefan Velkov, who powered a header past Randers substitute goalkeeper Mert Demirci.

The lead doubled in the 75th minute — and from the same source. Sørensen curled the ball in from the left this time, and captain Lasse Nielsen hooked the ball home at the far post to make it 2-0.

Randers pushed forward and created a string of chances. Debutant Vejle goalkeeper Nicolai Larsen produced a stunning save to deny Elies Mahmoud's half-volley, then stopped a one-on-one from Mahmoud with ten minutes remaining. A Mike Themsen effort also drew a sharp stop from the 33-year-old.

But the resistance cracked in the 87th minute. Wessel Dammers headed home from a set piece to halve the deficit. Then, in the 90th minute — the last play of the match — Mads Nielsen forced the ball home through a crowded box after a scramble from another Randers dead ball. The equaliser sparked muted celebrations from the away contingent and left Vejle ruing what had been a composed performance for 84 minutes.

The final three minutes of normal time. Vejle had managed the game expertly after going 2-0 up, limiting Randers to half-chances that Larsen repelled. But two lapses from consecutive set pieces undid all of that work. Dammers' header was the warning; Mads Nielsen's bundled finish was the punishment. Vejle's inability to clear their lines from a dead-ball situation — their own strength earlier in the match — proved decisive.

Nicolai Larsen (Vejle) — Player of the match. The former Denmark U-21 international made his Vejle debut after joining from AGF and produced a string of exceptional saves. The club's own match report describes "miracles in goal" — a free-kick stop, a point-blank denial of Mahmoud's half-volley, and a one-on-one save late on. Larsen showed exactly why he was brought in to anchor a side aiming to bounce back to the Superliga.

Christian Sørensen (Vejle). The left-back was the provider for both Vejle goals, delivering two corners of contrasting quality — one inswinging, one outswinging — that Velkov and Nielsen converted. His dead-ball delivery was the source of Vejle's best attacking moments.

Stefan Velkov & Lasse Nielsen (Vejle). The centre-back pairing scored the goals that put Vejle in control. Velkov's 54th-minute header and Nielsen's 75th-minute finish were reward for a defensive unit that largely nullified Randers' attacking threats until the late collapse.

Mads Nielsen (Randers). The substitute scored with the last kick of the match, turning a scramble in the box into a 2-2 equaliser that salvaged an unlikely point for the Superliga side.

All four goals came from set pieces — a telling detail in a game heavily influenced by the diagonal wind. Vejle scored twice from corners in a 21-minute spell either side of the hour mark, while Randers responded with two dead-ball goals in a three-minute burst at the death. Neither side created heavily from open play: Vejle's coach noted the lack of through balls, combinations or dangerous crosses against a settled defence. The wind made precision passing difficult, rewarding teams who could deliver accurately from a dead ball.

Randers entered the game unbeaten in their previous 16 meetings with Vejle (12 wins, 4 draws) — a streak that Vejle came within three minutes of ending. That Vejle competed on level terms with a Superliga side despite playing a division below was the biggest positive for Claus Nørgaard's team.

This was the second pre-season friendly for both clubs in summer 2026. Vejle — now in the Betinia Liga (Danish 1st Division) after relegation from the Superliga — showed they can compete with top-flight opposition, particularly in the first 75 minutes before wholesale substitutions disrupted their shape. For Randers, the resilience to fight back from 2-0 down against a well-organised lower-division side offers a boost, though Rasmus Bertelsen will want more urgency in the first half.

Vejle face Hillerød (11 July) in their next friendly, while Randers take on AaB (8 July).

Vejle's first 75 minutes were worthy of a Superliga side — structured, aggressive on transitions, and lethal from set pieces. The late collapse does not erase that, but it leaves a question about game management when tired legs arrive. Randers got the result their second-half pressure deserved, but Bertelsen was right: they did not use the first-half wind advantage well and needed a frantic finish to avoid a rare defeat to their former league rivals.

Sources: Betmana.co.uk (provider payload), Vejle Boldklub match report, Vejle Boldklub — Nørgaard interview, Vejle Boldklub — Hetemi interview, Bold.dk match report, FotMob H2H data.