Copenhagen open with win

FC Copenhagen served early notice of their intention to reclaim the Superliga title on Sunday with a 4-2 defeat of FC Midtjylland. FCK, who won the league in 2009, 2010 and 2011 but finished second to FC Nordsjaelland last season, required a late onslaught to start the 2012/13 season with three points. Midtjylland were on course for an impressive win when Tim Janssen gave them a 2-0 lead in the 54th minute following Sylvester Igboun Emeka's opener FCK were then reduced to 10 men by the 71st-minute dismissal of Claudemir. But they hit back to level it up with goals from Cesar Santin and Andreas Cornelius. And when the numbers were evened up by the sending-off of the visitors' Erik Sviatchenko, FCK seized their chance and went on to win with late efforts from Bryan Oviedo and Santin. Brondby - a disappointing ninth last season - got off to a poor start with Odense's Jacob Schoop scoring the only goal for the away side while Silkeborg won 3-2 at Esbjerg. Esbjerg, last season's first division champions, twice cancelled out efforts from Marvin Pourie and Kasper Risgaard with goals from Jacob Ankersen and Jesper Lange. But Pourie's second of the day proved decisive.