zeljeznicar dreaming of newcastle published: wednesday 7 august 2002, 23.18cet fk zeljeznicar 1-0 lillestrøm sk(aggregate: 2-0) a famous win for zeljeznicar.
fk zeljeznicar 1-0 lillestrøm sk (zeljeznicar win 2-0 on aggregate) sir bobby robson will not relish taking his newcastle united fc side to bosnia-herzegovina after champions fk zeljeznicar defeated lillestrøm sk 1-0 in both legs of their second qualifying round tie.
no fluke zeljeznicar produced one of the shocks of last week's first-leg encounters by winning in norway but they showed it was no fluke by accounting for lillestrøm again, captain eulend biscevic scoring the only goal of the night two minutes into added time.
mean defence coach amar osim, whose zeljeznicar side are yet to concede a goal in the uefa champions league this season, said afterwards: "i knew this was going to be a very difficult match but we have demonstrated we can play well in big, important games. our opponents tried high and long balls to surprise but our defence coped with them and we finally scored on the counterattack."
in-form baron the home side were deserving of the victory, creating the running from the outset. emille baron, lillestrøm's goalkeeper and best player, denied zeljeznicar on three occasions in the first half. he was beaten in the 44th minute but almir gredic shot over the crossbar.
great winner baron continued to frustrate zeljeznicar after the break, saving a number of goalbound efforts. when he was finally beaten, in the 92nd minute, it was a goal worth waiting for. biscevic picked the ball up just inside the lillestrøm half before bursting forward and unleashing a shot from just inside the box which left baron helpless.
gracious in defeat lillestrøm coach arne erlandsen was gracious in defeat. "it was a match with a lot of tension," he said. " we tried to get behind zeljeznicar's defence by playing high balls but we did not succeed. the home team were better and they deserved the victory. we lost our chance in norway."
