Ludogorets - Crvena zvezda 2:2 (1:1)

Crvena zvezda Belgrade drew 2-2 at Ludogorets in the First Leg of the UEFA Champions League Third Qualifying Round. The red-and-whites fought back superbly through Katai and Kanga in the second half after conceding a goal late in the first half, but ultimately had to settle with a draw in Bulgaria.

Ground: Ludogorets Arena, Razgrad.
Attendance: 7,000.
Referee: Martin Strömbergsson (Sweden).
Goalscorers: Cafú 43', Keșerü 76' - Katai 48', Kanga 66'.

Teams:

Ludogorets: Stoyanov, Natanael, Sasha, Dyakov, Cafú, Minev, Moţi, Plastun, Marcelinho, Wanderson, Lukoki. Substitutions: Borjan, Cicinho, Palomino, Júnior Quixadá, Anicet Abel, Keșerü, Prepeliţă.

Crvena zvezda: Kahriman, Cvetković, Rendulić, Phibel, Ibanez, Le Tallec, Donald, Srnić, Kanga, Katai, Mouche. Substitutions: Supić, Petković, Aleksandar Luković, Ruiz, Vieira, Sikimić.

Head Coach Miodrag Božović picked his starting eleven with no out-and-out striker, deciding to play Aleksandar Katai in an advanced role with Slavoljub Srnić and Pablo Mouche on the wings. However, the Serbian champions hardly did any attacking in the first half with the home team keeping the ball and looking to put Kahriman under pressure. Zvezda defended well until 43 minutes when Ludogorets' Brazilian forward Cafú broke through far to easily and finished easily to put the Razgrad side ahead.

It's always hard for teams to recover after conceding just before the half time break, but Božović's men returned to the pitch looking inspired and full of confidence. And it paid dividends just three minutes into the second half as Aleksandar Katai stayed onside, grabbed the ball on the right flank, danced past three defenders and finished beautifully with his left foot to draw Zvezda level and delight the visiting fans.

Our players showed no intention of stopping and they soon created another good chance when Slavoljub Srnić exchanged passes with Kanga before whipping an inviting ball across the Ludogorets goal, but Pablo Mouche needed just a few centimetres to reach it with his head. It would have been a certain goal with Stoyanov left stranded.

Zvezda kept going, though and were ahead on 66 minutes after Guelor Kanga's fabulous 25-meter curling shot that stunned the home team and gave the Belgrade team an excellent 2-1 lead.

Our players never looked back and continued to hit the increasingly nervous hosts with several good counter-attacks looking for a third goal.

But the goal was scored at the other end, however - and it was a goal that left Miodrag Božović fuming at his players. The Ludogorets players took a free kick quickly and caught the entire Zvezda team napping. With the defence not in place, Keșerü scored from close range to drag his team back on level terms after 76 minutes of play.

There were half-chances on ether side in the reminding minutes, but no team managed to get in front again. The match ended 2-2 and it was probably a fair result - a result that both teams will be satisfied ahead of the Second Leg that will be played in front of the packed Rajko Mitić Stadium on Tuesday, 2 August 2016. That promises to be quite an occasion for the Crvena zvezda faithful.

Comments

Filter

Top first Negative first