Despite leading Juventus 4-2 as the clock ticked past 90 minutes in Tuesday's UEFA Champions League opener, Dortmund conceded two goals in injury time to finish with a 4-4 draw. \"It feels like a defeat, despite us scoring four goals against Juve,\" rued Dortmund coach Niko Kovac. \"You have to dive deep into the history books to find something similar.\"<\/p>\r\n\r\n
The 53-year-old praised his team's effort and called the performance top-notch, but admitted frustration at the closing stages. Still, Kovac insisted on a positive view, mindful of the club's recent heartbreaks - losing the 2022\/23 Bundesliga title on the final day and being beaten by Real Madrid in the 2024 Champions League final, reports Xinhua.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\"We can compete on eye level with top European sides. We've proved that. But we don't talk about possible success - we focus on stability,\" said Kovac, who took over a wavering squad and is seeking consistency after seasons of highs and lows.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Creating optimism proved difficult after the wild night in Turin. \"By all means, we shouldn't lose a game like that. It was a draw, I know, but it feels like a defeat,\" said Dortmund forward Karim Adeyemi, while goalkeeper Gregor Kobel called for more maturity late in matches.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\"We need to play grown-up football and act clever in the dying minutes,\" the Switzerland international said. \"These moments require a dirty-win approach. A point is valuable, but it could have been three, and that would have opened the door to the top eight [and qualification for the knockout stages].\"<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Creating optimism proved difficult after the wild night in Turin. \"By all means, we shouldn't lose a game like that. It was a draw, I know, but it feels like a defeat,\" said Dortmund forward Karim Adeyemi, while goalkeeper Gregor Kobel called for more maturity late in matches.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Dortmund's next opponent in the Champions League is Athletic Bilbao on October 1, with the Black and Yellows also set to face the likes of Inter Milan, Tottenham, and Manchester City.<\/p>\r\n\r\n