Midtjylland secured a 1-0 win in our Europa League Matchday 4 clash in soaking wet Belgrade.
Ground: Rajko Mitić Stadium
Attendance: 23,074
Referee: Tamas Bognar (Hungary)
Goalscorer: Evander 56
Yellow cards: Sanogo, Pavkov, Ben, Gobeljić (Crvena zvezda), Charles, Cajuste (Midtjylland).
Red cards: Degenek, Gobeljić (Crvena zvezda).
Crvena zvezda: Borjan, Gobeljić, Degenek, Dragović, Rodić (83 Eraković), Sanogo, Kanga (74 Živković), Katai (63 Pankov), Ivanić, Ben (83 Diony), Pavkov.
Substitutes: Popović, Gajić, Pankov, Krstičić, Falco, Petrović, Stanić, Eraković, Lazetić, Živković, Diony, Srnić.
Midtjylland: Losl, Dalsgaard, Svyatchenko, Paulinho, Anderson (75 Kols), Charles (65 Cajuste), Envadike, Dyhr (84 Juninho), Isaksen (84 Hansen), Sisto (75 Lind), Evander.
Substitutes: Olafsson, Thompson, Kols, Sorensen, Maroni, Cajuste, Hansen, Biliti, Lind, Fraulo, Simsir, Junhinho.
Dejan Stanković's men sterted off with a desire to attack and grab an early advantage despite the difficult conditions on one of the wettest days we've had in Belgrade in recent memory. As early as three minutes in we could have been ahead. Pavkov nodded down into the path of Ivanić only to see the midfielder fire straight at Losl.
The red and whites came close through Pavkov on nine minutes after being played in by Ben. Sadly, the striker's effort was blocked in time.
The key moment of the game came on 12 minutes as we were left with ten men. Miloš Degenek fouled Isaksen and earned himself an early bath since he was the last man on the occasion. Shortly, the official PA announcer called everyone in the stands to continue with fair and sporting support of the team.
We faced an uphill battle for the rest of the game with the visitors' extra man always giving them an edge. The visiting defence proved solid every time our team tried to find an opening. We were restricted to long-range attempts for much of the game.
The tempo after the break was notably slower as Midtjylland waited for a chance against tiring opposition. They got the breakthrough when Evander's free kick took a deflection of Guelor Kanga's head and evaded Borjan.
Although our team gave it a good go, Evander's strike proved decisive. Kanga came desperately close with a rocket from outside the area that flew just over the crossbar.
This really wasn't our night and it was perfectly clear when Alekdandar Dragović's header sailed ever so close yet too far away in the dying minutes. It was the Danish team that walked away with a precious win.