Lions suffer defeat in Parken

F.C. Copenhagen suffered a late defeat to FC Nordsjælland in Parken Stadium on Saturday, with two goals coming after a red card for the Lions in the second half.

Mohamed Elyounoussi opened the scoring for the hosts but Ola Solbakken and Prince Amoako strikes turned the game in FCN's favour after Birger Meling was shown a second yellow card.

After the game head coach Jacob Neestrup said: “We created enough to decide the game ourselves, especially in the first half, but also after the break, and right up until they got the penalty.

“The next 14 days will not be fun, but we basically still have everything in our own hands. We have to take stock after the games against OB and Randers.

“I hate losing, and it hurts that we are where we are, but it's not about these two games against Midtjylland and Nordsjælland, but about what happened before Christmas, where we shouldn't have put ourselves in a situation like the one we have now, with a knife to our throat. But we have done that."

Defeat leaves FCK sixth in the Superliga table, with the league set to divide in two after two more gameweeks.

Reflecting on Saturday's match, Neestrup added: “I’m not saying that we performed at our best in the two games, but we lost a close game in Herning, and today we lost because we couldn’t close the game out and make it 2-0 after we had quite a few opportunities to do so. Both in the form of half-hearted chances, but also potential opportunities that we blew, including 30 seconds before their penalty.

“What happens around the penalty is something that can happen once a season, but it was also too easy for them to get the ball into our area in that situation, and we have to look at ourselves there.

“But it’s first and foremost deeply disappointing that we didn't take care of our many transitions, especially in the first half, when we lured them into many traps.

"I can understand the fans' dissatisfaction. The table doesn't lie, and you only get the points you deserve. There is no such thing as undeserved, especially not over 20 games, so I can understand all the criticism there is, and the interpretations there are about this and that and the other. I also understand that very well.

"Because that's what happens in the heat of emotion, and emotions are of course even greater when we are down, as we are."