Cukaricki (Serbia) – Gabala (Azerbaijan) – 1:0
UEFA European League, 2nd Qualifying Round, 1st match

Date: Thursday, 16 July / Kick-off: 23:30 / Ground: Cukaricki Stadium, Belgrade

Referee: Radu Petresku (Romania)
Assistant referees: Ovidiu Artene, Vladimir Urzixa (both from Romania)
4th official: Marsel Birsan (Rimania)
UEFA member: Joze Gilyerme Aquiar (Portugal)
Referee inspector: Plarent Kotherja (Albania)
Yellow cards: Georgi Floresku, 21, Rafael Santos, 25, Urfan Abbasov, 61, Rajko Brezancic, 69, Vitali Vernidub, 74, Javid Huseynov, 80
Goal: Nikola Stoilkovic, 53-pen.
Extra time: I Period 1 min., II Period 3 min.
The home side started faster and took the lead from the early minutes. Gabala set up threat in the 4th minute after counter attack by Ricardinho”s pass to Javid Huseynov before Sergey Zenyov failed to finish his cross.

After Georgi Floresku picked up a yellow card, the home side went too close to scoring just before the half-time but Rafael Santos held on.

Later on, Stoljkovic came one on one with Gabala”s keeper Dmitri Bezotosny who gave a great save to his teammates.

Grigorchuk changed Floresku to Dodo set a pulsating trouble in the box failing to score.

After the restart, the show warmed up a bit as both sides surged on the ball to score. But Gabala”s back line held on before Arif Dashdamirov failed to convert in after meeting an inch-perfect pass by Javid.

Then, Cukaricki”s attack led to a penalty against Gabala when Slavolyub fouled on Srnic in the box. Although Bezotosny denied the shot, he failed to convert the return kick.

Ricardinho also was off the target after meeting a telegraph from Javid.

The result left Gabala losing 0:1 before the return match next Thursday.

Cukaricki line-up:
12. Nemanya Stevanovic
4. Lukas Plasentin
22. Filip Stoykovic
23. Bojan Ostojic
31. Rayko Brezancic (c)
6. Dragolyub Srnic
8. Branislav Yankovic
24. Petar Bojic
(19. Sasha Yovanovich, 90+1)
9. Nikola Stoilkovic
(30. Nenad Mirosavlyevic, 85)
11. Andriya Pavlovic
(7. Stanisha Mandic, 67)
14. Slavolyub Srnic
Subs.:
1. Nikola Petric
5. Marko Rancelovic
20. Regan Obeng
25. Dejan Boljevic
Head coach: Vladan Miloyevic

Gabala line-up:
22. Dmitri Bezotosny
15. Vitali Vernidub
20. Ricardinho
34. Urfan Abbasov
44. Rafael Santos
5. Georgi Floresku
(10. Dodo, 36)
6. Rashad Sadigov
14. Javid Huseynov (c)
19. Aleksey Gai
9. Sergey Zenyov
(11. Asif Mammadov, 88)
69. Aleksey Antonov
(21. Arif Dashdamirov, 46)

Subs.:
1. Andrey Popovic
3. Vojislav Stankovic
8. Mahammad Mirzabayov
66. Samir Zargarov

Head coach: Roman Grigorcuk