Guillaume Hoarau’s second-half penalty on Wednesday claimed a 2-2 draw to deny Red Star Belgrade a comeback victory over Young Boys in the UEFA Champions League’s playoff round first leg.
Roger Assale scored early on for the hosts before Milos Degenek and Mateo Garcia put the 1991 European champions 2-1 up shortly after the break.
Hoarau’s spot-kick came after the video assistant referee reviewed a foul on Nicolas Ngamaleu with 15 minutes remaining in Switzerland.
Photo: EPA-EFE
“We put in a good performance, but we were perhaps too nice — we gave them two gifts, goals we could have avoided,” Hoarau told UEFA.com. “We’re frustrated because we dominated the match, created a lot of chances, but didn’t win. It’s a good result for them, but it’s not over.”
The visitors were quickly trailing after a route-one goal from the hosts after seven minutes.
David van Ballmoos hoofed his goal-kick upfield, striker Jean-Pierre Nsame flicked the ball on and forward Assale’s effort slipped under Canada international Milan Borjan for the opening goal.
Australia centerback Degenek brought the teams level 11 minutes later. His looped header from a Marko Marin cross beat Van Ballmoos, as well as Nsame, who was defending at the near post.
The Serbian side were ahead after 54 seconds of the second half.
Captain Marin fed rightback Marko Gobeljic, who crossed into the box. Two Red Star players overran the pass before Garcia struck home at the back post.
France international Hoarau, a 73rd-minute substitute, slotted home his penalty with ease after referee Danny Makkelie had reviewed forward Richmond Boakye’s trip on Ngamaleu in the box.
Hoarau could have claimed the win for Young Boys with five minutes of normal time remaining, but his shot was cleared off the line.
Red Star, despite the draw, have the upper hand ahead of next week’s return leg thanks to their away goals.
Elsewhere, Olympiakos romped to a 4-0 victory over Krasnodar, although their fans could be in trouble after a Russian journalist claimed that he was attacked and had his nose broken in an assault.
The visitors, who knocked out Porto in the previous round, struggled in Greece as Lazar Randelovic scored twice between efforts by Miguel Angel Guerrero and Daniel Podence.
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