SOCCER/Serbia 2 Northern Ireland 1:NORTHERN IRELAND'S Euro 2012 qualification hopes took a heavy blow in Belgrade last night as they conceded twice in the second half to surrender a hard-earned lead against Group C rivals Serbia.
Only some brave last-ditch defending stopped them going behind but when Gareth McAuley rose to head home Chris Brunt’s cross in the 40th minute, a famous victory looked on the cards.
But Serbia, playing in the near-deserted Crvena Zvezda Stadium as a result of crowd trouble against Italy, hit back through Marko Pantelic before Zoran Tosic drilled in the winner via a slight deflection.
Serbia almost took the lead after 15 minutes, McAuley’s last-gasp slide steering what looked a certain goal over the bar. Milos Krasic and Dejan Stankovic started the move on the right wing before the ball was cut back for Milan Bisevac, whose goalbound effort was brilliantly diverted by McAuley.
Northern Ireland somehow managed to get out of jail again after 22 minutes, Tosic jinking into the box before teeing up Adem Ljajic. With the goal again gaping, a combination of Aaron Hughes and McAuley saved the day.
An innocuous foul earned Brunt the chance to deliver a free-kick from the right five minutes before the interval and he found McAuley eight yards from goal. The Ipswich defender timed his jump well, beating Brkic to send the 265 travelling fans into raptures.
Serbia, with no support of their own following the ruling, were shellshocked and almost conceded again when Brunt played in Kyle Lafferty. The Rangers forward took a neat touch to create some room but stabbed his shot over the crossbar as Brkic advanced.
Lafferty did not emerge for the second half, replaced by Northern Ireland’s record scorer David Healy. Serbia boss Vladimir Petrovic also went to his bench during the interval, with out-of-favour Liverpool forward Milan Jovanovic and Milos Ninkovic entering the fray.
Healy, occasionally a little off the pace, picked up a needless yellow card to rule himself out of Tuesday’s clash with Slovenia. Worse was to follow in the 65th minute when Pantelic swept home from eight yards after a flowing move involving Ninkovic and Jovanovic.
The Liverpool man almost put the hosts ahead seconds later after finding space in the penalty box but he hesitated to shoot and the chance fell away.
Northern Ireland were now looking in trouble every time Serbia attacked, their swagger finally returning. The second goal came after 73 minutes, Stankovic charging towards the danger area before laying the ball to Tosic.
The CSKA Moscow midfielder took a touch before rifling his shot into the near corner via a slight deflection off Craig Cathcart.
SERBIA: Brkic, Ivanovic, Subotic, Bisevac, Kolarov, Tosic, Ljajic (Jovanovic 46), Krasic (Petrovic 86), Stankovic, Milijas (Ninkovic 46), Pantelic. Subs not used: Saranov, Obradovic, Trivunovic, Ilic. Booked: Stankovic, Pantelic, Krasic.
NORTHERN IRELAND: Camp, Baird, Hughes, Jonathan Evans (McCourt 86), McAuley, Cathcart, Corry Evans, Clingan, Gorman (Feeney 78), Brunt, Lafferty (Healy 46). Subs not used: Tuffey, Craigan, Thompson, McCann. Booked: Jonathan Evans, Healy.
Referee: S Gumienny (Belgium).
