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DATE: Wednesday 18th July 2007, 5.30pm BST
RESULT:
Red Star Belgrade 1 West Bromwich Albion 1
COMPETITION: Balkans Tour
VENUE: Fazanerija Stadion, Murska Sobota
Due to sweltering conditions the kick-off was delayed by
half an hour in hope that the weather would cool down.
TEAM NEWS
Tony Mowbray handed the captains armband to Slovenian
star Robert Koren as the Baggies boss made a number of
changes from Albion's 0-0 draw with Hajduk Split last
Friday.
Paul Robinson got his first start of pre-season while
Nathan Ellington and Sherjill MacDonald made up a
new look Albion strike-force.
Kevin Phillips is rested due to a tight hamstring.
ALBION PEGGED BACK BY LATE RED STAR EQUALISER
 Albion were denied an impressive victory against Serbian Champions
Red Star Belgrade by a late free kick from Dragan
Stancic.
The game started under a scorching Slovenian sun, but it
was
Albion who seemed to adapt to conditions early on when
Sherjill MacDonald weakly headed a Chaplow cross
straight at the Red Star keeper.
Albion carried on piling on the pressure and they
thought they had taken the lead when Darren Carter’s
cross was met by a superb downward header from Zoltan
Gera but the ball narrowly bounced the wrong side of the
post with the keeper easily beaten.
It took Red Star 15 minutes to register their first
chance on goal when Andelkovic fired well wide of
Kiely’s goal with a 30 yard effort.
Six minutes later though it was Albion who were
celebrating when 'wantaway' left back Paul Robinson made
a well timed run into the Red Star box to power a header
into the net after a good bit of work from Darren
Carter.
It was now all
Albion with MacDonald forcing a good save from Randelovic in the
Belgrade goal.
It was to
Albion’s credit that Red Star’s only other meaningful effort in the
first half came when young right back Jared Hodgkiss
attempted to clear only for the ball to cannon off
Trisovics chest and wrong foot Dean Kiely but
fortunately the ball went wide of the
Albion
upright.
Half Time: Red Star Belgrade 0 West Bromwich Albion 1
Tony Mowbray rang four changes for the start of the
second half Gera, Chaplow, MacDonald and Koren were
replaced by Greening, Wallwork, Worrell and Nicholson.
These changes seemed to have a negative effect to begin
with as it was Red Star who started more the brighter
with Milijas cracking a 20 yard shot that cannoned off
Kiely’s crossbar but Albion soon found some stability
again when Carter found Nicholson but the young forward
was denied a clear goal by an outstretched leg of keeper
Randelovic which deflected the ball narrowly wide.
The game then reverted to end to end entertaining
football and Albion could of had a two goal cushion had
the impressive Randelovic not saved a curling Ellington
25 yarder halfway through the second half.
As the game wore on it seemed
Albion
had done enough to grab a deserved win but Red Star’s
substitute Stancic denied the Black Country men with a
fine 25 yard free kick in the 88th minute.
Full Time: Red Star Belgrade West Bromwich Albion 1
MATCH INFORMATION
Red
Star Belgrade (4-3-3):
Randelovic, Pantic (Nikolic 69), Tutoric (Bogdanovic
64), Ibrahima, Andelkovic, Lukas, Milovanovic (Bajalica
64), Milijas (Stancic 59), Raskovic (Basta 55),
Djordjevic (Perovic 73), Trisovic (Trajkovic HT). Subs
not used: Radivojevic.
Albion
(4-4-2):
Kiely, Hodgkiss, Martis (McShane 69), Albrechtsen,
Robinson (Davies 69), Gera (Greening HT), Chaplow (Wallwork
HT), Carter, Koren (Worrall HT), MacDonald (Nicholson
HT), Ellington (Beattie 62). Subs not used: Daniels (gk),
Hartson.
Goals:
Red Star - Stancic (88). Albion - Robinson (19).
Bookings:
Red Star: Milijas (foul 24). Albion - Greening (foul
68).
Referee:
A Tratnjek (Murska Sobota).
Attendance:
1,000
NEXT UP:
Pre-Season Friendly: Northampton Town, away, Wednesday
25th July 2007, 7.45pm.
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