Red Star had to come back from behind twice to salvage a point at FK Bačka. On a day when few things went right our team couldn't extend the winning row in the Superliga.
Ground: Slavko Maletin Vava Stadium, Bačka Palanka
Attendance: 4,000
Referee: Marko Popović
Goalscorers: Đorić 27', Makarić 74' - Boakye 54', 86' (pen)
Teams:
Bačka: Lučić, Ilić, Luković, Mićić, Balabanović, Švonja, Makarić, Spremo, Đorić, Živković, Varga.
Substitutes: Župić, Nikolić, Klisura, Čeković, Trivunović, Ivković, Šarac.
Crvena zvezda: Kahriman, Stojković, Savić, Le Tallec, Gobeljić, Anđelković, Donald, Srnić, Milić, Pešić, Boakye.
Substitutes: Supić, Babić, Rodić, Račić, Jovičić, Milijaš, Adžić.
Vladan Milojević made a number of changes to the team that beat Radnik 5-0 just two days earlier. Damir Kahriman was given a rare start between the sticks, with Dušan Anđelković at left back and Marko Gobeljić moved to central midfield.
It had looked like one of those days for Zvezda as numerous defensive errors gave Bačka the upper hand on a bitterly cold afternoon in Bačka Palanka. And the motivated hosts made the most of it, attacking the Belgrade team with real passion.
Our team had also created chances, but finishing let Pešić, Gobeljić and Milić down on a few occasions.
The Blues took the lead on 27 minutes when Kahriman somewhat needlessly left his line and failed to communicate with Savić on the edge of the box. Mićić pounced and found the net with a measured chip that flew in just under the Zvezda crossbar with Le Tallec and Anđelković both trying in vain to get to it.
The red-and-whites tried to get back into it, but weren’t able to find a leveler in the first half.
Milojević reshuffled his team making a double substitution at the break. Rodić and Jovičić were sent on for Anđelković and Gobeljić. It worked and Zvezda were level less than ten minutes into the second period when Boakye squeezed the ball in at the second attempt following a scramble in Bačka’s area.
Slavoljub Srnić had a great chance to complete the comeback on the hour, but couldn’t beat Lučić one-on-one from a great position.
Milijaš replaced Milić as Zvezda searched for a goal that would set them up for another league win. But it was the brave hosts who took the lead again through Makarić after mounting a devastating counter-attack with 15 minutes left to play.
Red Star were forced to look for a leveler again and thankfully it came ten minutes later when Boakye converted a spot kick that was rightfully awarded following a foul on Aleksandar Pešić.
There was still time for some late drama and Nenad Milijaš came close to bringing the points to his team, but was unlucky to see his shot cannon off the crossbar in the added time.
The match added in frustration for the team and Head Coach Vladan Milojević admitted that Zvezda hasn’t played as well as he would have liked. However, there isn’t much time to analyze this match as 1.FC Köln arrive to Belgrade on Thursday for a crucial Europa League clash.