Koroman shines for Red Star

FK Crvena Zvezda will take a narrow advantage to Estonia next week after Ognjen Koroman scored the only goal against FC Levadia Tallinn in their UEFA Champions League second qualifying round first leg in Belgrade.

Early chances
The Serbian champions, and 1990/91 European Champion Clubs' Cup winners, dominated affairs from the start in front of a 22,000 crowd in the capital. They gave a debut to Hernán Barcos and the Argentinian forward was one of the players to miss a spate of early opening for Crvena Zvezda before they finally got the breakthrough ten minutes before half-time through Koroman. The Serbian international winger exchanged passes with Dušan Basta and Eduardo Castillo before sending an unstoppable long-range shot arrowing into the top-left corner.

Levadia hope
Home coach Boško Djurovski opted to make two changes at the start of the second half, bringing on Filip Djordević and Mauricio Molina, and the Ecuadorian in particular would make a positive impact, creating a chance midway through the half which Djordević headed wide from five metres. Crvena Zvezda were nearly made to pay for that missed opportunity though, as Tarmo Kink found himself alone only to be denied by goalkeeper Ivan Randjelović. The custodian would foil defender Vitoldas Čepauskas in added time too, but despite leaving Serbia beaten on the night Levadia will take hope into the second leg on home soil.