Flair and fortune see off Partizan

Toulouse FC came from behind to claim a 3-2 win at FK Partizan and kick off their UEFA Europa League Group J campaign with maximum points.

Fortunate finish
Mladen Krstajić put the home side in front in the 23rd minute but they were trailing before the break courtesy of two exquisitely-taken goals from Pantxi Sirieix (30 and 38), and faced even more of an uphill task just after half-time when Antoine Devaux fortuitously doubled the French side's advantage. Cléo came off the substitutes' bench to halve Partizan's deficit but a more dramatic comeback did not materialise.

Clinical Sirieix
Krstajić only returned to Serbia this year after nine seasons in Germany but showed little sign of needing a chance to acclimatise to his new team-mates, timing his run to perfection to meet a 23rd-minute corner and head past Yohann Pelé from five metres out. Sirieix outdid his Partizan counterpart by controlling a cross from the right and pirouetting into space in one motion before sliding past the grounded home goalkeeper Mladen Božović. Alain Casanova's side edged in front on 38 minutes as Moussa Sissoko's heavy touch sent the ball into Sirieix's path – the Frenchman needed no second invitation to drive a first-time shot low into the corner.

Late hope
Any rescue package composed by stand-in Partizan coach Goran Stevanović was undermined just four minutes into the second half, Devaux breaking from midfield before unleashing a side-footed effort which Božović attempted to save with his legs but merely sent looping over his head and under the crossbar. Cheik Mbengué somehow cleared – via a post – a close-range poke from Lamine Diarra before the hour but Diarra turned provider on 66 minutes as he laid the ball on for strike partner Cléo to lift over Pelé, but Toulouse consummately negotiated what might have been an uncomfortable final quarter.