Luxembourg and Belarus share the spoils

• Belarus come from behind to earn draw with Luxembourg in Group C opener
• Lars Gerson volleys hosts into lead on 42 minutes
• Belarus pressure pays 12 minutes from time through Stanislav Dragun's equaliser
• Jonathan Joubert makes outstanding late stop to secure point for home side
• Next games: Belarus v Ukraine, FYROM v Luxembourg (9 October)

Belarus were forced to come from behind but eventually earned a point in Luxembourg through Stanislav Dragun's goal 12 minutes from time in UEFA EURO 2016 qualifying Group C.

Right from the off Luxembourg made problems for their opponents, as David Turpel and Stefano Bensi missed excellent opportunities to open the scoring. The hosts forced themselves onto the front foot, producing quick and bright football, while Belarus laboured to find a way through Luxembourg's compact defensive line. Sergei Krivets's efforts from distance were the only issue home keeper Jonathan Joubert had to deal with, something he managed with apparent ease.

Joubert's opposite number Aleksandr Gutor, however, was in the thick of the action. Mathias Jänisch and Christopher Martins went close and Luxembourg finally got the breakthrough three minutes before the interval. Panic was created by Daniel Da Mota's long throw into the Belarusian area and the ball eventually dropped to Gerson, who swivelled and perfectly caught his volley to send the ball into the roof of the net from close range.

The second period was a different affair. From the hour mark, Belarus took the initiative and began to commit men in numbers. After forcing Joubert into a number of fine stops they got the equaliser in the 78th minute when captain Timofei Kalachev angled a ball over the home defence from the right and Dragun met it on the full to scramble an effort into the far corner. Belarus piled on the pressure late on and might have stolen the three points were it not for Luxembourg's No1, who conjured an outstanding save to repel Igor Stasevich's goalbound effort.