Crvena zvezda beat Čukarički 4-3 in a roller-coaster match at Banovo Brdo on Saturday.
Ground: Čukarički Stadium at Banovo Brdo
Attendance: 3,000
Referee: Milorad Mažić
Goalscorers: Ožegović 44' (pen), Kajević 47', Jevtić 67' - Boakye 8', 54', Luković 16' (pen), Anđelković 83'
Teams:
Čukarički: Petrić, Docić, Kajević, Obradović, Jovanović, Bogosavac, Bojić, Lagator, Mašović, Ožegović, Zorić.
Substitutes: Pajović, Srnić, Matić, Kopitović, Jovanović, Šarić, Jevtić.
Crvena zvezda: Manojlović, Petković, Luković, Frimpong, Anđelković, Donald, Le Tallec, Kanga, Plavšić, Milić, Boakye.
Substitutes: Supić, Ristić, Milijaš, Poletanović, Srnić, Vujaklija, Sikimić.
The champions of Serbia expected a tough game at Čukarički and they made sure they started the game with all cylinders firing. And sure enough, the result reflected this.
Kanga took a free kick quickly and found the galloping Boakye with it. The Ghanainan striker showed great first touch to control it and then dispatched it past Petrić to give Crvena zvezda an early lead.
Zvezda bossed the game in the opening stages and were 2-0 up with just 16 minutes on the clock. Mitchell Donald was felled in the box after some fine Zvezda counter-attacking and captain Aleksandar Luković made no mistake from the spot.
Nenad Lalatović's team were in good form prior to this match and their mental toughness showed as they didn't seem to lose confidence and motivation. They tried to play positive football and it paid off. Anđelković misjudged a clearence which resulted in him being out of position for a Čukarički attack. He tried to make amends but he couldn't control his movement and he committed a foul in his box. Former Zvezda striker Ognjen Ožegović took the penalty well and halved the deficit just before half time.
And the home side pulled level jusz two minutes after the restart. Manojlović saved well from close range, but Asmir Kajević was on hand to tap the rebound in and make it 2-2.
Richmond Boakye scored one of the easiest goals he'll ever score on 54 minutes after Milić and Petković combined well on the right-hand side of the Čukarički box. Zvezda right back crossed hard and the ball wiggled below the diving goalkeeper. Boakye's movement and anticipation left him all alone and free to tap in from just centimetres out.
The red-and-whites continued to attack in what was a really action-packed match and had a chance to make it 4-2 when Plavšić, Kanga and Srnić combined in home team's box with neither one shooting. Čukarički somehow cleared their lines and swiftly created a chance of their own. Jovanović didn't hesitate and he crossed for Jevtić, another former Zvezda forward, who scored and made it 3-3 with 67 minutes gone!
Jevtić had a glorious chance to put his team in front for the first time in this match, but he couldn't miss the target from a great position.
Čuarički were punished for their huge miss seven minutes from time when Boakye turned well and laid the ball for Anđelković who slammed the ball into the roof of Petrić's net to delight the visiting fans and bring Crvena zvezda the lead yet again.
It proved to be the last goal of this remarkable match and Zvezda returned home with all three points.