Team GB coach Stuart Pearce has revealed that his players were suffering from nerves before their Olympic opener against Senegal.
The game ended in a 1-1 draw after Moussa Konate's 81st-minute goal had cancelled out Craig Bellamy's first-half opener at Old Trafford.
"The fact we got our noses in front and didn't nail the game – and if we had moved the ball quicker we might have done – is a frustration," said Pearce. "It would have been nice to win and now we have to deal with the disappointment of conceding a late goal.
"As I know from my own experience as a player, the first game is always a nervous affair. There were a few nervous faces in the dressing room beforehand.
"There are big expectations on the host nation but it was fantastic to be applauded out by all the staff."
Team GB take on the UAE on Sunday.
