Svensson praises team togetherness after win over Braga
Bo Svensson expressed his pride at how his F.C. Copenhagen side defeated SC Braga 3-0 in the UEFA Conference League on Thursday, and explained how a disciplined performance laid the groundwork for the victory.
Mohamed Elyounoussi opened the scoring early in the second half before Andreas Cornelius came off the bench to bag a double in front of a record Conference League crowd in Parken.
"It was an impressive performance against a very strong side – a team that came close to reaching the Europa League final last season," said head coach Svensson afterwards.
"I am very proud of the team, especially in the way we bounced back after the defeat in Herning last Sunday – a match where we also felt we deserved a better result.
"It was a tight first half, but also a difficult one for us. We faced some challenges. For instance, we weren't effective enough at exploiting the spaces that opened up for us. However, we stayed competitive and conceded virtually no chances, making it a very tight, closed-off first half."
During the break, the coaching staff made adjustments to FCK's attacking play, which helped shift the dynamic of the match.
"We tweaked our play in possession to generate more momentum in the attack, and generally, I felt we improved as the game went on," Svensson said.
"At half time, it certainly didn't look like a match that would end 3-0, but our early goal after the break naturally changed the complexion of the game."
Braga came close to equalising midway through the second half only for VAR to review their goal to be narrowly offside.
“We were a bit lucky there, as our defence was caught in an awkward position, and I think it was a very tight offside call," said the head coach.
"So, the margins were on our side in that instance, but overall, I think we defended really well throughout the entire match and conceded very few chances. It was a very disciplined performance, and it’s important for us to be this solid defensively.”
Maintaining the intensity
Svensson once again rotated the squad from FCK's previous outing and introduced young players during the game. Rodrigo Huescas also made his return to competitive action after a year-long absence.
“We’re playing a lot of matches right now, so it’s about managing the squad effectively to ensure we can maintain the intensity in our play," he said. "It’s crucial that we have many players who can contribute, and it was great to see Rodrigo back in action after everything he’s been through.
“We brought on Marvin when we were leading 1-0, and Hunor when we were 2-0 up, but we would have brought them on even if the score had still been 0-0. They are talented young players in whom we have great belief – players we trust to come on and make a difference.”
Experienced players Thomas Delaney and Cornelius also came on in the second half, and Cornelius made a significant impact on the match with his two goals.
“Corner is simply a very important player for us, and he showed that again tonight," said Svensson. "But before that, Dadason had worn the opposition down and also played a major part in the opening goal.
"Corner doesn't press as much as Dadason, but he has a knack for being in the right place at the right time, and he did a great job holding up the ball for us in some key moments. It’s a real shame, then, that he’ll be suspended for the match against AGF this Sunday.
“But we’ll head home now and start preparing for that game, buoyed by tonight’s performance – a great response after the disappointment in Herning last Sunday."