Radovic late show ousts Dnipro
Thursday, 24 February 2005
[1] Ten-man FK Partizan stunned FC Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk with a late winner out of nothing to seal a place in the UEFA Cup Round of 16.
Late winner
[2] After a 2-2 draw in Belgrade, Dnipro seemed to be coasting to an away-goals victory that never looked in jeopardy until substitute Miroslav Radovic grabbed an 88th-minute winner for the visitors, who had captain Saša Ilic sent off shortly before half-time.
Striking changes
[3] The home side were without the suspended Oleh Shelayev, while striker Oleh Venhlinskiy recovered from illness to make the substitutes' bench. Partizan, meanwhile, welcomed back Cameroonian striker Pierre Boya to partner their first-leg, two-goal hero Obiora Odita in attack.
Midfield discipline
[4] From the start it was clear both sides had players capable of turning the match. Simon Vukcevic was a constant threat for Partizan, while Serhiy Nazarenko and Ruslan Rotan kept the visiting wing-backs busy. But with the disciplined midfield in charge, clear chances were at a premium.
Long shots
[5] Home captain Dmytro Mykhaylenko went closest to opening the scoring just after the half-hour mark, volleying wide from 20 metres. Then on 36 minutes he tried from all of 35 metres, but saw his free-kick tipped over by goalkeeper Ivica Kralj.
Ilic off
[6] Partizan responded through Vukcevic’s low free-kick shortly before the break. But moments later Partizan captain Ilic was shown the red card for deliberate use of the elbow, and the sides went in to the break with little to suggest that Dnipro's away-goal advantage would be broken.
Dnipro caution
[7] Despite their one-man advantage, Dnipro's priority remained maintaining their discipline in a game that was always just a goal away from Partizan. Sweeper Andriy Rusol gradually emerged as their outstanding player, cutting out speedy runs by Vukcevic and Ifeany Emeghara, and mopping up probing passes for Odita and Radovic, on at half-time for the ineffectual Boya.
Gaps appear
[8] As the pressure grew on Partizan to take the game to the cagey home side, their one-man disadvantage began to tell. Rotan became an ever more prominent figure as he was left unmarked to test the visiting defence from the wings.
Vukcevic denied
[9] Despite the gaps, Dnipro failed to find a clear opening. But it never looked as though Partizan would score until five minutes from time when substitute Nikola Grubješic was felled outside the box. Vukcevic stepped up to curl a shot over the wall, only to see his effort come back off the post.
Radovic pounces
[10] It was a warning for Dnipro, but they hardly had a chance to act on it before Odita touched the ball short to Radovic on the edge of the box, and the substitute fired low past Vyacheslav Kernozenko to seal a place in the last 16.