FK PARTIZAN     4

Ricardo 15; Urosevic 25

Diabate 33; Andrade 78

ĦAMRUN SPARTANS     1

Guillaumier

FK Partizan

A. Popovic, S. Markovic, I. Vujacic, S. Sanicanin, S. Urosevic, L. Fejsa, P. Andrade (81 N. Jovic), F. Diabate, M. Zivkovic, Q. Menig (58 K. Belig), Ricardo.

H. Bonello, O.Bjelicic, S. Borg, R. Camenzuli, J. Corbalan (78 M. Sowe), E. Marcelina, R. Prsa, M. Guillaumier, Eder (72 L. Montebello), Jonny (72 Dodo), I. Nedeljkovic (46 E. Mashike).

Referee Filip Glova (Slovakia).

Yellow cards Zivkovic, Belic, Borg.

Three goals in the first half put FK Partizan in charge of their UEFA Conference League tie against Ħamrun Spartans at the Serbian capital on Thursday night.

It was always going to be a tall order for the Maltese outfit against Serbia’s most successful football club even though FK Partizan are passing through a difficult spell in their domestic season.

Although the final scoreline might suggest that the Serbia enjoyed a field day, in reality the Spartans did put on a very commendable showing as they enjoyed long spells of possession and created several scoring opportunities.

However, FK Partizan’s efficiency in front of goal turned out to be the main difference between the two sides as the Serbian side’s forward trio of Diabate, Ricardo and Andrade punished the visitors’ with lightning attacking play to put the home side as firm favourites to book their place in the group stages.

For Ħamrun, their hopes of an historic qualification are hanging by a thread as they need a miracle to overturn a three-goal deficit in next week’s second leg at the National Stadium.

Ħamrun Spartans coach Branko Nisevic has made just one change from the team that beat Levski Sofia in a penalty shoot-out last week. Steve Borg, who skipped the match in Bulgaria for family reasons, was back in the starting XI at the expense of Rodrigo Callegari.

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