VfB let lead slip in Belgrade defeat

Match summary:

The game initially went according to plan for Sebastian Hoeneß’s side, who took an early lead in the fifth minute through Ermedin Demirovic. However, VfB subsequently made too many uncharacteristic errors in defence, which allowed Silas to equalise shortly afterwards (12’). Rade Krunic later capitalised on a mistake by Atakan Karazor to turn the game on its head (31’) and give the hosts the lead at the interval.

Mistakes punished

Alexander Nübel kept VfB in the game with some fine saves in the second half but he was powerless to prevent the Serbian outfit from extending their advantage when the unmarked Mirko Ivanic headed in from a corner. Nemanja Radonjic (69’, 88’) struck twice following more erratic VfB defending, handing Hoeneß’s side a heavy – and deserved – defeat.

Goals

5^th minute 0-1: VfB take an early lead! The home side fail to clear Maximilian Mittelstädt’s cross and the ball falls to Enzo Millot, who plays it in to Demirovic inside the penalty area. The forward makes no mistake from around ten metres out.

12^th minute 1-1: Millot loses the ball to Silas in midfield and he has a clear run on goal, scoring the equaliser with a low shot from just inside the box.

31^st minute 2-1: Youngwoo Seol gets the better of Pascal Stenzel on the left and crosses into the centre. Karazor mis-kicks an attempted clearance and the ball runs through to Krunic, who places his shot into the top left-hand corner.

65^th minute 3-1: Ivancic is unmarked at a corner and heads in from close range to make it 3-1.

69^th minute 4-1: Some lax defending from VfB allows Krunic to find substitute Radonjic, who keeps his cool with just Nübel to beat and puts Crvena Zvezda 4-1 in front.

89^th minute 5-1: Radonjic receives the ball inside the penalty area, cuts inside Jeff Chabot and Mittelstädt and nets the home side’s fifth and final goal of the game.