ludogorets squeeze out partizan published: wednesday 6 august 2014, 23.35cet fk partizan 2-2 pfc ludogorets razgrad (agg: 2-2, ludogorets advance on away goals) partizan fought back from 2-0 down but a red card cost them.
by ivan vjetrović from fk partizan stadium
there were two goals each for petar škuletić and marcelinho and a red card for fk partizan's branislav trajković in a thrilling first half, with pfc ludogorets razgrad eventually progressing to the uefa champions league play-offs on away goals.
two goals in as many minutes for marcelinho put the bulgarian visitors in the ascendency before partizan fought back to 2-2 through škuletić's quick-fire double. an open first half concluded with trajković being dismissed and ludogorets held on to progress on away goals.
the game's opening goal came when ludogorets' wing-back júnior caiçara linked up with countryman marcelinho down the right, the latter finishing from close range. marcelinho scored his second two minutes later when the same players combined in a similar fashion.
four minutes later the hosts pulled a goal back when darko brašanac threaded a ball between defenders to find škuletić, who finished from inside the area. škuletić then scored his second of the game as he reacted first to a rebound off the post from a trajković header.
with five minutes remaining until half-time, trajković was shown a straight red which hindered his sides' hopes of earning the win which would take them through following the 0-0 result in the first leg.
the second half remained free-flowing despite the tension, with virgil misidjan striking the woodwork and marcelinho twice threatening to complete his hat-trick. away goals ultimately made the difference, ludogorets advancing while partizan now enter the uefa europa league at the play-off stage.
