Rangers Europa League foes Red Star Belgrade warmed up for the second leg clash by defeating Metalac 2-1 in what was a crucial league win as they remain on course to retain their title.
Red Star only made one change, as Dejan Stankovic said pre-match that he wouldn’t be resting players ahead of Thursday’s tie, and it turned out to be the right decision.
Surprisingly, Metalac took the lead through Stefan Cvetkovic after half an hour played, but Red Stars January signing OhI Omoijuanfo equalised on the stroke of halftime.
The tie was a feisty affair, with no less than eight bookings over the course of the 90 minutes. With the clock approaching the hour mark, Milan Pavkov scored to make it 2-1 and the away side didn’t relinquish their lead to secure a vital win.
Red Star Belgrade win crucial league match ahead of Europa League clash with Rangers
With Partizan Belgrade drawing their match on Sunday, there was a major incentive for Red Star to take advantage and the win puts them level on points at the top of the league.
Having the match on a Monday afternoon certainly puts the Serbian champions at a slight disadvantage ahead of Thursday’s tie, with only 72 hours to recover.
This can only be a boost for the Ibrox side and with a three-goal advantage to boot, it could certainly be a memorable night for the Gers.
The key thing will be to get through the tie with no major injury concerns or any suspensions, as four players are currently walking a suspension tightrope.
The Europa League clash is sure to be another mouth-watering affair, but the Rangers faithful will only be concerned about one thing, progression.
Meanwhile, Red Star Coach Dejan Stankovic has confirmed a surprising change ahead of the vital tie.
