A free kick from Mikkel Beckmann opened the scoring for the Danish minnows, but a late Mirko Vucinic goal extinguished any hopes of a heroic victory on Tuesday.

Nordsjaelland remain bottom of Group E with a solitary point, but after grinding out the draw against the Italian champions they demonstrated they can compete with Europe's best.

"We could have got more out of the match if we had kept playing during their pressure," Hjulmand told reporters.

"After playing well in the first half, I don't think we threatened them enough in the second. However, considering their pressure - their equaliser was inevitable - we are happy to be off the mark now," he said.

But Juventus assistant manager Angelo Alessio scoffed at Hjulmand's comments claiming the Italian champions 'absolutely deserved to win' in Copenhagen.

The draw leaves Juve's Champions League hopes hanging by a thread with Shakhtar Donetsk lead Group E on seven points, followed by Chelsea on four and the Italians with three.

Juve have now managed just nine draws and a defeat from their last 10 European matches.

"We had so many chances, but were unable to score and in a game like this that complicates matters," said Alessio after the match.

"We lacked some grit in the first half, while after the break we did play our football. Towards the end we switched to a four-man defence, as Nicklas Bendtner and Sebastian Giovinco were backed by Mirko Vucinic to make the team more dangerous in attack.

"We certainly allowed our opponents too much in the first half, but came out of our shells in the second, created many opportunities and their goalkeeper had to perform several great saves."