We'll learn from defeat in Germany – Thorup

F.C. Copenhagen head coach Jess Thorup says the squad can take plenty of lessons forward from Tuesday's 3-0 defeat at Borussia Dortmund in the UEFA Champions League.

Goals from Marco Reus, Raphael Guerreiro and Jude Bellingham won it for the Bundesliga side in the first game of Group G.

Carlos Zeca hit the post for the Lions in the opening minute, while Lukas Lerager came close early in the second half with FCK 2-0 down.

And despite the loss Thorup says there was much to take away from the first Champions League group game of the autumn.

"We faced a class team today, but we head home knowing that we were very good in the first half hour, when neither goalkeeper had any saves to make, but then we made some personal mistakes, which will always be promptly punished at this level," says Thorup.

"We had a great chance right after the break, where we could have got back into the game, but looking over the 90 minutes there is no doubt that they deserved to win.

"Their level doesn't surprise me when you have seen their matches in the Bundesliga, and the squad they show up with both from the start and the high-quality players they have on the bench.

"They're high class both individually and as a team. But we would have liked to have pushed them more than we succeeded in doing. But it is only by being at this level that we develop the players to take the next steps.

"Some in the squad has played in the Champions League before, and for others it is completely new, and we have to take lessons from the game as soon as possible, so we can work with and that and use it both in the Superliga and in our next Champions League group games."

Christian Sørensen made his debut from the bench and moved out to the left wing towards the end of the game, while Carlos Zeca was replaced.

Discussing his substitutions, Thorup said: "Christian has some attacking strengths that we already talked about using before the match, and when Zeca started to look tired after playing hard all game, we decided to try to get more momentum in our attack.

"Zeca came off, Viktor Claesson move to a No 8, and Christian Sørensen came on on the flank, where he has played for many seasons, so it is not new for him.

"Later on we also put Nicolai Boilesen on, partly because David Khocholava asked to be withdrawn, and partly because Boile also has the ability to push us further forward.

"I still believe that we can achieve something in this group, even if we are up against tough opponents, but today we just have to be realistic and state that we played a significantly stronger team."