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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Sport
Will Magee

‘I still can’t believe it’: Aarhus go from sleeping giants to their first title in 40 years

Aarhus’s Kevin Yakob roars with delight after helping his side to beat Brøndby and seal the Danish league title
Aarhus’s Kevin Yakob roars with delight after helping his side to beat Brøndby and seal the Danish league title. Photograph: Gonzales Photo/Alamy Stock Photo/Alamy Live News

When the buses pulled up at Brøndby Stadion on the penultimate weekend of the season, the travelling fans were already celebrating. The final whistle had just blown at Nordsjælland, where Aarhus’s title rivals, Midtjylland, had been held to a goalless draw. That meant Aarhus Gymnastikforening (or AGF for short) could secure the Danish title for the first time since 1986 with a win against Brøndby. The atmosphere was electric before kick-off, the AGF fans displaying a huge tifo with the message: “Let’s write history together.” It didn’t take long for the team to meet the moment, Henrik Dalsgaard, the former Brentford and Midtjylland defender, scoring from a corner after three minutes. The away end erupted, 40 years of hurt swept away in an outpouring of euphoria.

“It was one of the greatest days of my life and I think a lot of other AGF fans would say that too,” says Jakob Emil Beikes, the chair of AGF’s fanclub. “When we were celebrating it was just everything, all the feelings coming through. I still can’t believe it, actually. It’s insane.”

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