Red Star - Sochi 2:0 (2:0)

Red Star - Sochi 2:0 (2:0)

Stadium: "Gazprom Arena", Saint Petersburg, Russia.

Referee: Ivan Abrosimov (Russia).

Scorers: Endiaje in the 38th minute and Jovanović in the 44th minute.

Yellow cards: Kanga (Red Star), Kravstov (Sochi).

Red Star: Guteša, Mimović, Điga (from 70. Đurić), Leković (from 70. Milosavljević), Rodić (from 70. Radojević), Dalsio (from 70. Hwang), Ilić (from 57. Kang), Šljivić (from 46. Knežević), Jovanović (from 70. Maksimović), Katai (from 46. Anan), Endiaje (from 70. Sremčević).

Sochi: Degtev (from 68. Zabolotnyi), Makarchuk (from 68. Zayka), Magal, Suslov (from 68. Litvinov), Marcelo (from 68. Kozhemyakin), Nacho, Levin (from 68. Makarov), Kravtsov (from 78 . Burmistrov), Kramarić (from 68. Martovoj), Safronov, Gaurirapa.

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In a good mood, the players of Crvena zvezda welcomed the first preparatory match in Russia, within the cup organized by our friendly club Zenit, in which, along with the host team, the team of Tagliares also participated. Before the start of the match, we heard the anthems of Serbia and Russia, and the captain of our team at today's match was Aleksandar Katai.

Zvezda had their first big chance already in the second minute when Katai played past Endiaje, but Degtev positioned himself well and "shortened" the corner, and our striker hit him in the shoulder. Zvezda threatened four minutes later after a sharp corner taken by Ilić, and Katai was the closest to the ball, but he did not manage to catch it as he wanted. It was calm on the field until the 25th minute when Kramarić shot from the edge of the penalty area right next to the post of Guteša's goal, who had previously intervened well after a Sochi free kick.

Again, the combination of Ilić-Katai from the corner brought unrest into the home team's penalty area, but it all ended with Leković's kick from the kick-off, after which it was called for offside in the 29th minute. Šljivić showed part of his repertoire when, in the 32nd minute, he dribbled past a Sochi player on the counter, but from the edge of the penalty area he shot at Degtev. Zvezda got a well-deserved lead in the 38th minute when Dalsio outwitted the entire Sochi defense with a long ball and "kicked out" Sheriff Endiaye "one on one" with goalkeeper Degtev, who the strong Senegalese dribbled over and overcame. Jovanović constantly tormented opponents on the right side with dribbles, and what he failed to do in the 43rd minute when Degtev saved a shot after a slalom, he did 60 seconds later. Sljivić was the one who started everything, he entered the penalty area from the left side, positioned himself on his right foot and shot hard, and the ball bounced to Lazar Jovanović, who scored his first goal in the Zvezda jersey.

Milojević changed the formation in the second half, so our first team players played with three players in the last line, and the tape went around Milan Rodić's arm. Jovanović delighted everyone with his brilliant dribbling on the right flank, and the impression was that whenever the ball is in the feet of the talented offensive player, something specific will happen in front of the opponent's goal. Knežević tried in the 58th minute from the edge of the penalty area after the penetration of Annan, but the ball ended up over the goal.

The players of Sochi then had a chance when Levin shot the corner well, but Gutes defended it even better. Guteš defended well even in the 65th minute when Kramarić shot, but the talented goalkeeper showed that his concentration did not drop, despite the constant play in front of the Sochi goal. Mimović could have been among the scorers in the 69th minute when he found himself in front of the opponent's penalty area, but shot over the goal. Zvezda had a third captain in the match today, because the tape went around Gelor Kanga's arm when Rodić left the field. Milojević gave the young forces a chance at the end of the match, but the result did not change until the end of the match.

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