EUROPEAN HUMSKA STREET TEMPLE
Partizan – Timisoara: 1:0 (0:0) agg: 3:1
UEFA CUP, Qualifying round 1, second leg, 2nd of October, Beograd.
Venue: Partizan Stadium
Att: 15, 623;
Referee: Paixao
Assistants: Pimenta, Nogueira
Fourth official: Santos (all Portugal)
UEFA official: Dennis Cruise (Rep. of Ireland);
Yellow cards: Juca, Djordjevic (Partizan) – Alexa, Goga, Magera (Timisoara)
Red cards: None;
GOALS: 1:0 `70 Stevanovic;
Teams:
PARTIZAN: M. Bozovic, Stevanovic, Djordjevic, Knezevic, Obradovic, Juca, Lazic
(`59 Petrovic), Tosic, Moereira, Bogunovic (`77 Marinkovic), Diarra (`90+3 Cadikovski). Subs not used: D. Bozovic, Jovanovic, Sikimic, Zaiem.
TIMISOARA: Pantilimon, Badoi, Luchin (`81 Arman Karamyan), Brezinski, Milhazis, Stancu (`71 Rusic), Alexa, Borbely, Goga, Bucur, Magera.Subs not used: Taborda, Bonfim, Artavazd Karamyan, Sretenovic, Abiodun.
After a win over excelletn Romanians, Partizan qualified for UEFA Cup group stage for the third time and secured European matches until mid-December, the least and yet another improvement for our club`s coefficient. What more can one desire?
Partizan managed it, but it was far from easy. We warned earlier that the joib is not yet done and so it was. One true European encounter, search for the resultand chances both ways. Partizan is through, 3-1 on agg, with draw for the UEFA Cup group stage being scheduled for Tuesday, 7th of October.
Around 16,000 spectators at Humska St., all in a very good mood. Positive vibrations spread from minute one, with packed South stand givin` outstanding support.
Romanians entered the match better and in early exchanges ball was more at Partizan half. Stancu took the right edge of the box shot on 10, but ball passed right by the post. On the other side, Diarra tried to lob keeper Pantilimon but the ball went over the bar. Diarra also answered to Stevanovic`s cross minute later, but his 12 metre header went wide. Lazic for Stevanovic on 23, but his storming right side run and a low cross for Bogunovic were all in vain, as Bogunovic was slightly late to take on this ball.
Visitors threatening again on 28. Bukur was fouled some 18 metres from Partizan goal, but Goga`s free-kick was easy for Bozovic to save.
Tosic had his moment of play on 30. He was playing with 3 or 4 Timisoara defenders, dribbling them all around, but was finally fouled after some 30 seconds of enjoyable and witty play. Yellow card for Timisoara captain Alexa
Another danger fort Bozovic on 38. Timisoara counter-attack, Bukur play it for Goga who shoots well wide.
Second half sees Timisoara taking more risks as they need at least two goals to progress further. That gives space for Partizan players and on 52 Stevanovic is first to miss a great chance. His header after Tosic`s corner bounces of the crossbar.
Opportunity for Romanians on 56. Goga takes a nice 20-metre shot just by the left post. Corner-kick for Timisoara on 57 and Magera just late to capitalize on far post. Lucky there.
Partizan takes over on the hour and in the next 20 minutes the full pressure is on Timisoara.
Quick Partizan counter-attack on 62, but Bogunovic fails to send a proper pass for Diarra and away defense clears it.
On 69, Juca`s header was cleared away by Pantilimion and Diarra`a shot that followed was saved too.
On 70, Humska Street exploded. Sub Petrovic won the challenge some 30 metres in Partizan half, passes it to Juca who sends it ofr Stevanovic. He runned with it some 10 metres before taking a 18 metre shot that bounced of Pantilimion and the right poist into the net. 1-0 Partizan.
Youngster Petrovic showed he has no fear of important matches. He gave a scare to Pantilimion on 73, shooting from some 20 metres out, but away keeper saved it.
One promising Partizan counter-attack on 81 finished with a 20 metre shot just wide fro Tosic.
Ina last 10 minutes of the game, gueststhreatened twice. Goga hit the outside netting from only a few yards, while Bukur managed to shake of Stevanovic on 83 but his 10 metre left side shot was somehow saved by the feet of keeper Bozovic.
Partizan calmed the match down in a dying minutes and after the last whistle of Portuguese ref Paixao, Partizan is officilly part of UEFA Cup group stage.
On a Tuesday`s draw Partizan will find itself in a pot 4. Partizan missed out on a pot 3, neednig two more favourites to slip. But, that`s all but important, now.
Dusan Uhrin, Timisoara coach, after the game:
- I`m happy, as we played well, but were unlucky to score which was crucial. We manged to play even more offensive football in a second half and with a possible goal scored we would have some chance of progressing. It turns out first leg was a key to full tie.
Partizan has good chances to make it big in UEFA Cup, as they are a very good side. I haven`t seen so focused and calm side in ages. We did our max and shouldn`t feel ashamed of anything. This has been a great experience for us.
Slavisa Jokanovic, Partizan coach:
- We had some opportunities at the early stages, but when we didn`t take them, visitors seized the oppportunity to threathen, particlarly from set-pieces. After we scored, there was more space to play and chances to score, while Timiosara introduced more attackers in their aim to get a result.
WE wo, picked up a few points for our football and reached our objective, but that`s just for this night. We are setting a new European aim, that being further progress in UEFA Cup and Europan Spring games.