Zvezda off to a winning start

Crvena zvezda Belgrade recorded a 2-1 win over Valletta FC in the Champions League Second Qualifying Round First Leg. However, the trip to Malta capital proved to be a tricky one as Miodrag Božović's men went to the half time break trailing 1-0 after a fantastic Federico Falcone strike. But a much-improved Zvezda were dominant after the break, turning the match around with goals by Aleksandar Katai and Predrag Sikimić.

Venue: Ta' Qali National Stadium, Valletta, Malta
Attendance: 1000
Referee: Alexander Harkem (Austria)
Goalscorers: Falcone 15' - Katai 66', Sikimić 75'

Teams:

Valletta FC: Bonello, Falcone (Malano 40'), Benites, Briffa (Cremona 78'), Azzopardi (Calistus 83'), Romeu, Pani, Caruana, Gill Cruz, Aguirre, Borg.

Crvena zvezda Belgrade: Kahriman, Cvetković, Al. Luković, Phibel, Ibanez, Le Tallec, Donald, Srnić (Mouche 45'), Kanga, Katai (Ruiz 83'), Vieira (Sikimić 65').

Yellow cards: Pani 81', Romeu 28' - Vieira 11', Katai 53', Kanga 84'

The champions of Serbia looked insecure on the ball in the first half and Valletta FC took advantage by hitting us on the counter-attack on a number of occasions.

The home team took the lead on 15 minutes after a string of Zvezda defensive blunders enabled Falcone to hit a beautiful volley from the right-hand side of the box. Damir Kahriman had no chance to stop a shot that was rightfully compared to the famous Marco Van Basten's goal from the 1988 European Championship.

Our team tried to respond, but the only real chance was a Hugo Vieira header on 18 minutes that went just wide.

Miodrag Božović had to make changes before the restart and he brought on Pablo Mouche for Slavoljub Srnić. The Argentinean added a much-needed spark to Zvezda's play. His cross was just too high for Hugo Vieira on 57 minutes. Just moments later Mouche tried a chip from the edge of the box and Valletta FC goalkeeper Henry Bonello had to do well to keep it out.

Zvezda kept the pressure on and finally got their goal on 66 minutes when Kanga played a nice deep ball from the centre of the park in the path of Aleksandar Katai. Zvezda's last season's top scorer timed his run very well and lobbed the home 'keeper with a well-executed half-volley that hit the far corner.

The visitors continued to attack and were awarded nine minutes later when that man Katai did well on the left flank and crossed low for Predrag Sikimić who got to the ball ahead of Valletta defenders to tap in from close range.

Crvena zvezda slowed down a bit after taking the lead, but still had decent chances to go further ahead that weren't taken. The hosts had a half chance of their own when Santiago Malano tried his luck from outside the box, but Kahriman was alert and saved easily.

The match ended with a 2-1 Crvena zvezda win to the cheers of around a hundred Zvezda fans in the stands of the Ta' Qali National Stadium.

The second leg will be played at Rajko Mitić Stadium on Tuesday, 19 July 2016.

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