Hibernians 1
FK Vojvodina 4
Hibernians: M. Muscat, B. Kristensen, R. Camilleri, J. Pearson, M. Dias (J. Lima), C. Failla, M. Tabone (N. Chetcuti), R. Soares, A. Cohen, O. Obiefule (JP Farrugia), EL Dos Santos.
FK Vojvodina: M. Kordic, N. Radoja, B. Trankovic, E. Alivodic M. Gacinovic), P. Skuletic (N. Bilbija), S. Vranjes (N. Kosovic), O. Aboubakar, M. Baric, M. Polletanovic, M. Vulicevic, I. Duric.
Referee: S. Baliyen (Armenia).
Asst refs: M. Ghazarjan, V. Simonyan.
4th official: A. Ghushchyan.
Scorers: P. Skuletic 40, R. Soares (own goal) 42, O. Aboubakar 48, O. Obiefule 78, N. Kosovic 82,
Yellow cards: M. Dias, El dos Santos
Red card: I. Duric 88
Serbian side Vojvodina seem to have already booked their place in the second qualifying round of the competition after beating Hibernians 4-1 in yesterday’s first leg of the Europa League qualifying round at the Centenary Stadium.
The Paolites were only in the match for 40 minutes, that is, before they suffered the first goal. After that, they conceded a second soon after and when it became 3-0 on the hour, the match was already well beyond the Paolites’ reach.
In fact, although they managed to reduce the deficit, the strong Vojvodina quickly scored again to make the second leg in Novi Sad next week a formality.
Vojvodina were a technically superior side to the Paolites, but Branko Nisevic’s boys fought hard for every ball and the 2-0 deficit at the interval was definitely unjust.
They even created the best chance of the afternoon till then although Failla muffed the opportunity by skying the ball with only the goalie to beat.
Till the Serbs opened the scoring on the 40th minute, Hibernians seemed to be controlling their opponents with relative ease, even if Aboubakar proved to be more than a handful for Marcelo Dias on the left flank. The Serbian side’s striker from Cameroon was a very dangerous man on the left flank and most of Vojvodina’s chances came from his runs down that flank.
The Serbs maintained their domination in the second half and added another for good measure before the Paolites contrived to miss a penalty through Failla. They then hit back immediately through an Obiefule strike 14 minutes from the end.
But Vojvodina responded soon after as they scored a fourth goal.
Vojvodina threatened first on the ninth minute when off an Alivodic cross, Skuletic’s header went just wide.
Hibs’ reply arrived on 18 minutes, but Edison Luis dos Santos shot well wide of the target from 20 metres.
And at the other end, soon after, Skuletic won a loose ball on the edge of the area, but his effort went just over.
Hibs went near to equalising on 22 minutes. Off a Cohen cross, Dos Santos’ header was deviated to a corner.
Alivodic brought the best out of Muscat on 23 minutes as the Hibs goalie had to dive sideways to turn his low shot to corner with difficulty.
Hibs missed the best chance on the 29th minute when off a Kristensen cross, the ball was cleared badly. It went to the completely unmarked Failla who, however, sent the ball over the bar with only the goalie to beat.
Poletanovic had a shot going agonisingly across goal on 36 minutes but the Serbs eventually took the lead on the 40th minute. An Alivodic cross was not cleared by the Hibs defence and Skuletic only had to tap the ball into the net from close in.
Two minutes later, it was 2-0 as Soares unfortunately deflected a cross from Poletanovic into his own net.
At the start of the second half, Muscat had to dive to save an Aboubakar low shot.
Soon after, Obiefule was involved in a solo run in which he bustled his way past two defenders and into the area only to see his effort going just wide.
Aboubakar responded at the other end, but his action ended in a third goal for the Serbian side. He went through on the left flank to deceive Muscat with a straight shot instead of a cross. The ball ended at the back of the net.
Hibs almost pulled back a goal on 61 minutes when a Dos Santos header was saved in two attempts by goalie Kordic. But immediately afterwards, at the other end, it was Muscat who denied the Serbs another goal as he blocked a close range effort from Aboubakar.
Moments later, Muscat again was in action blocking another close range shot from substitute Biblija.
Hibernians were awarded a penalty on 76 minutes when goalie Kordic floored Dos Santos. The official failed to show a yellow card to the goalie. Instead he showed one to Dos Santos for protesting. From the spotkick, Failla saw his shot being saved by the goalie.
Two minutes later, Hibs surely reduced the deficit. A cross from the right was only half cleared by a Vojvodina defender and Obiefule was on the right spot to hit home.
But six minutes later, Vojvodina re-established their three-goal lead as the fiery Aboubakar again went through on the left to cross low for Kosovic to extend his foot and plant the ball into the net.
Vojvodina ended the match in 10 men as central defender Igor Duric was dismissed after being shown a second yellow card for time wasting.