Our team lost a topsy-turvy first leg of the UEFA Champions League play-off away at Maccabi Haifa 3-2 despite making a first-half comeback and leading 2-1 at the break. We'll host the champions of Israel on Tuesday.
Ground: Sammy Ofer Stadium
Referee: Carlos del Cerro Grande (Spain)
Goalscorers: Pierrot 18, 51, Chery 61 - Pešić 27, Kanga 39
Maccabi: Cohen, Sundgren, Planić, Goldberg, Cornud (62 Menachem), Chery, Lavi, Mohamed, Haziza (76 Fani), Pierrot (70 Rukavytsya), David (62 Aztili).
Subs: Mishpati, Aztili, Tchibota, Menachem, Rukavytsya, Arad, Fani, Dahan, Levi, Eliyahu, Gershon.
Crvena zvezda: Borjan, Eraković, Milunović, Dragović, Rodić, Kanga, Kangwa, Ivanić (72 Sanogo), Bukari (60 Mitrović), Katai (56 Srnić), Pešić (72 Ben).
Subs: Popović, Vasiljević, Gobeljić, Leković, Sanogo, Srnić, Stanković, Nikolić, Motika, Mitrović, Ben, Ohi.
It was hot, humid and noisy. After 90 minutes of football, we're a goal behind. We will now prepare for Tuesday's return leg at Rajko Mitić Stadium, in which we'll try to better the Israeli team and make it to the Champions League group stage after a two-season wait.
This time, the Greens were inspired by their home crowd, and they managed to make the most of their chances. They beat Milan Borjan on three occasions and claimed a famous 3-2 win. Our team has done great to get back into the game after conceding first. Goals from Pešić and Kanga gave us a halftime lead, but the home side got two second-half goals to earn a narrow lead to take into the Belgrade leg.
Now is the turn for Marakana to make some noise. See you on Tuesday night!