Defensive midfielder Afeez Aremu conceded that defeat to Rosenborg ‘hurt’ his IK Start side after they lost to the already crowned Norwegian Eliterien champions 1-0.
Start who are battling relegation narrowly lost at home on Sunday.
Aremu and Akinyemi Adeleke were in action for the home team.
“All losses hurt,” he told Footballlive.ng. “But this one especially because we had real hopes of coming away with the points.
“We generated chances, but in football you have to build from the back.
“We didn’t have a shred of luck, but they came with an approach that worked. I thought we played a superb game. We controlled it really and could have won.
“To compete with a team that has already won the league title is a real show of what we can do.”